Ingredients

Method

• 450 g sugar
• 4 free-range eggs
• 300 g cake flour, sifted
• 1 cup milk
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 2 ¼ t baking powder
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 500 g strawberries, sliced
• icing sugar, for dusting
For the custard filling:
• 4 cups milk
• 80 g custard powder
• 100 g caster sugar
• 2 free-range egg

Method

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 2 x 23 cm round cake tins with baking paper. Grease the paper and the sides of the pan well.

2. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs together until slightly thickened – about 1 minute.

Add the flour, milk, oil, baking powder and vanilla and beat until the batter is smooth and creamy. Don’t overbeat. Divide the batter between the prepared baking tins.

3. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the tops are golden and a skewer comes out clean.

4. Allow to cool slightly, then loosen the sides of the cake from the pan with a thin knife, turn out onto a cooling rack and peel off the paper. allow to cool completely before assembling the cake.

5. While the cake is baking, make the filling. Bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan.

6. Mix the custard powder with the sugar, egg and 4 T warm milk. Pour the mixture into the hot milk, stirring continuously, and bring the custard to a simmer. Cook for 3–4 minutes over a low heat.

7. Allow the custard to cool while stirring occasionally to prevent a skin forming on the top.

8. To assemble the cake, by spreading the custard evenly over the cake and top with some sliced strawberries. Top with the other layer of cake and repeat the process. Dust with icing sugar.

Cook's note: We doubled this in the video to make a 4 layer showstopper. If you do this, make sure to double the custard, too.

Find more cake recipes here. 

Videography: Romy Wilson, Jan Ras
Photograph: Jan Ras
Food assistant: Mia Wentzel