There is little in this world that can't be made better by cake. My problem is which one to choose. This cake from the movie world solves that dilemma neatly.
Layer cake (2004)
Layer cake
In a perfect world everyone would share and share alike. This does not make me a card carrying communist or even an occasional reader of The Morning Star just someone who likes everything to be fair and equal. Layer Cake is the complete antithesis of this equality. Power is King and drug money paves the way to this kingdom. For once the cake in the title doesn’t appear in the film. The layers represent the multiplicity of plot levels in the film in addition to the hierarchy within the drug underworld in which this film is set.
Layer Cake twists and turns with plenty of double crosses and surprises and I’ve hidden one in this cake just to echo the plot, and no, my secret ingredient doesn’t involve crushing up tablets!
So in effect I’m giving you a recipe for an analogy. It’s a very tasty analogy at that. You need a tasty cake for a film starring Daniel Craig. I am well aware that cream cake is not on anyone’s list of healthy foods but it does lift your spirits to eat one. Perhaps by writing this recipe I am behaving exactly like the gangsters in Layer Cake by encouraging you to indulge in such forbidden delights. In the words of XXXX, surely that is the best name seen on a cast list, this cake will give “the people what they want... Good times today, Stupor tomorrow.” Good times indeed.
Mise en scene
You will need 3 sandwich tins greased and lined with parchment paper.
175g butter
175g caster sugar
175g self raising flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
4 tbsp milk
3 strawberries (pureed)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 carton whipping cream
Icing sugar to dust
Its all in the edit….
Pre heat oven to Gas 4 170c
1. Place the butter and sugar into a large bowl and cream together until pale and fluffy in texture.
2. Beat the eggs in one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture. If the mix looks as if it is about to curdle add a spoonful of flour and continue beating in the rest of the eggs. Stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder. Make sure the flour is well incorporated.
4. Divide to cake mixture into three separate bowls. Add 2 tablespoons of milk to the first bowl and then pour this into the first prepared sandwich tin.
5. To the second bowl of mixture add the remaining two tablespoons of milk and the cocoa powder. Again mix until well incorporated. Tip this chocolaty mixture into the second of the prepared sandwich tins.
6. Puree the strawberries (mash with a fork, squash through a sieve or even blitz in a processor if you have someone else to do the washing up!) Add this strawberry loveliness to the remaining bowl of cake mixture and again amalgamate well. Scrape the pink mixture into the last cake tin and place all three into the oven for 25 minutes.
7. When cooked remove from the oven, allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Remove from the tin and finish cooling completely on a wire cake rack.
8. Whip the cream to soft peaks and layer the cake up. Be generous with the cream. How you organise the layers is up to you.
Hints and tips
When you leave a cake to cool on a wire rack it is important to turn the cake over. This allows the steam to escape from the base of the cake. Peel any parchment away from the cake at this stage too.
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