Eton mess cake

• unsalted butter↗175g g
• double cream↗5 tbsp tbsp

  from a 300ml pot

• vanilla↗1 tsp tsp

  paste or extract

• plain flour↗225g g
• ground almonds↗100g g
• baking powder↗1 tsp tsp
• golden caster sugar↗200g g
• large eggs↗5

  at room temperature

• strawberries↗400g g

  ½ roughly chopped, ½ finely sliced

• meringues4

  nests (50g/2oz), very roughly broken up

• icing sugar↗a little

  to serve

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Grease a deep, 20 x 30cm traybake or roasting tin, then line with parchment. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Melt the butter, take off the heat and stir in the cream and the vanilla. Mix the flour, almonds, baking powder and ¼ tsp fine salt and set aside for later.

2. 2

   Put the caster sugar and eggs into a large bowl, and whisk with electric beaters until very thick and foamy, about 5 mins. Pour in the butter mix, whisk briefly, then add the flour mix and whisk briefly again until even. Stir in the chopped strawberries, then pour the batter into the tin and level the top.

3. 3

   Scatter the sliced strawberries and meringue over the cake, then bake for 40-45 mins until risen, golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cool for 20 mins in the tin, then transfer the cake to a rack. Just before serving, dust with a little icing sugar. Enjoy with the rest of the double cream, whipped if you like.