Pg Tips Green Tea Victoria Sandwich Cake With Summer Berries

• 225g / 8oz soft butter
• 225g / 8oz golden caster sugar
• 4 medium free range eggs
• 225g / 8oz self raising flour
• 10ml / 2tsp baking powder
• 5ml / 1tsp pure vanilla extract
• a few drops of natural green food colouring (optional)
• 15ml /3 tsp boiling water
• 2 PG tips Green Tea teabags
• 150ml (2/3 cup) boiling water
• 85g (3oz) granulated sugar
• 300ml / 1 1/3cups double cream
• 100ml / 1/2 cup mascarpone
• 2,5ml /1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 finely grated zest of orange
• 30ml / 2tbsp caster sugar
• 200g / 8oz strawberries
• 200g / 8oz blueberries
• 200g /8oz raspberries
• fresh mint and fresh flowers for decorating

1. 1.tre-heat the oven to 180u0b0C/350u0b0F.
2. 2.tine the base of each cake tin with a circle of non-stick baking parchment and butter the sides.
3. 3.tither by hand or using an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until light in colour and creamy in texture.
4. 4.tightly beat the eggs and add gradually to the mixture with 2 tablespoons of the flour.
5. 5.tdd the vanilla and if using it, carefully add the natural green colour, drop by drop, so as not to make the colour too strong.
6. 6.tift the remaining flour and the baking powder into the mixture, fold it in carefully. Lastly stir in the boiling water.
7. 7.tivide the mixture evenly between the 2 cake tins. Spread it out using a palette knife and create a slight hollow in the centre, so that when it is cooked it has a flat top.
8. 8.take for 20 -25 minutes, until the cakes feel springy to the touch.
9. 9.then cooked cool on a wire rack. After 5 minutes remove the cakes from the tins.
10. 10.thile the cake is cooking make the green tea syrup. Pour the boiling water onto the 2 PG tip Green Tea teabags and leave for several minutes. Remove the teabags and transfer the tea into a small saucepan with the sugar. Bring to the boil, then simmer for a few minutes until the sugar has completely dissolved and syrup has thickened slightly.
11. 11.tnce the cake has been turned out of the tin pierce it all over with a fine skewer or needle. Carefully drizzle (or paint) the warm syrup on all sides of the cake using a pastry brush.
12. 12.thip the cream and mascarpone with the vanilla and sugar. Wash the orange and finely grate the zest directly onto the cream, fold it in. Spoon the cream into a piping bag fitted with a small fluted nozzle.
13. 13.then completely cold, fill the centre of the cake with cream and most of the fresh berries, reserving a few for decoration. You can arrange raspberries around the edge of the cake, and pipe a rosette of cream between each one. Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining berries and a few edible fresh flowers. When in season, elderflowers look very pretty! Dust with icing sugar just before serving.
14. 14.this is best eaten on the day it is made, but can be kept in the fridge for a couple of days in a sealed box.

butter, sugar, range eggs, flour, baking powder, vanilla, natural green food colouring, water, pg tips, boiling water, sugar, cream, mascarpone, vanilla, orange, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mint

Taken from food52.com/recipes/57137-pg-tips-green-tea-victoria-sandwich-cake-with-summer-berries (may not work)