To make the fragrant filling for this vanilla scented Victoria Sponge Cake, combine 200 grams of very ripe fresh raspberries with 300 ml of whipped, thickened cream that has had half a tablespoon of icing sugar added. Use the back of a fork to slightly crush the raspberries and swirl them through the cream. You still want to maintain the texture of the berries whilst releasing the flavour.



My husband has a sweet tooth and he especially enjoys my home baked cakes. In an effort to curb his craving for indulging in chocolate brownies, a variety of muffins, biscuits, slices and sponges he decided to eat these treats on special occasions only. This of course includes birthdays, and so with six children and several other family events he is pretty much satisfying his sweet tooth every month. Including this evening. 

Our sweet natured daughter Eva turned 10 years old yesterday but we didn’t have a chance to celebrate with her because Eva was away on a school camp. Her teachers and friends made a huge fuss of her however, and the celebration continued this evening over a family dinner. This recipe for this multi-layered Victoria Sponge Cake is from Nigella Lawson’s cookbook How to Be a Domestic Goddess. My version was generously filled with crushed raspberry cream and then had hand made iced biscuits added as decoration. These edible pieces of art are from a quaint store in Croydon NSW called Spoon and Fork. 

Children always have room in their tummies for dessert – even after having second helpings of the Penne with Prawns, Peas and Cherry Tomatoes. There is so much flavour packed into each mouthful of this dish, especially if you use the most juicy, sweet tomatoes available. 

To make this dish…

1) Simply sear peeled, deveined prawns in a good splash of olive oil with crushed garlic and the finely grated rind of a large lemon. I used 3 fat cloves and to make enough to feed 8 people. Remove the seared prawns to a clean bowl. 

2) Add some more olive oil, warm up over a medium heat and add the cherry tomatoes and fresh peas, piercing the tomatoes with a knife to release the juices. Put on the lid, give your pot a good shake and then cook for about 3 minutes. The peas should still be slightly firm and the tomatoes need to have a tangy freshness to them. 

3) Return the prawns to the pot, season with sea salt and squeeze in the juice of a lemon. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes until the prawns are cooked through. 

4) Toss through penne or other pasta of your choice with a handful of finely chopped flat leaf parsley.