Union Jack cake recipe
 Nail your colours to the baking tray with this patriotic bake. It is a great cake to make for a street party, sporting event or royal knees-up. If you bake the sponge ahead, wait until the day you're serving it to add the fruit for the freshest appearance. 150g/5½oz butter, well softened250g/9oz golden caster sugar2 tsp vanilla extract1 lemon, zest only (use the juice in the icing, see below)4 free-range eggs300g/10½oz self-raising flour2 tsp baking powder200g/7oz full-fat soured cream 150g/5½oz butter, well softened 250g/9oz golden caster sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 lemon, zest only (use the juice in the icing, see below) 4 free-range eggs 300g/10½oz self-raising flour 2 tsp baking powder 200g/7oz full-fat soured cream 125g/4½oz butter, well softened375g/13oz icing sugar2 tbsp lemon juice1 tbsp milkabout 150g/5½oz medium-sized strawberries, hulled and slicedabout 150g/5½oz raspberriesabout 200g/7oz blueberries 125g/4½oz butter, well softened 375g/13oz icing sugar 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp milk about 150g/5½oz medium-sized strawberries, hulled and sliced about 150g/5½oz raspberries about 200g/7oz blueberries Method To make the sponge, preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Use a tiny knob of the butter to grease a 20x30cm/8x12in cake tin and then line with baking paper. Put the butter, caster sugar, vanilla and lemon zest in a large bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until the butter is pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one by one. Add the flour, baking powder and soured cream and use a spatula or metal spoon to mix to a smooth batter.Scrape the cake mixture into the tin and bake for 22–25 minutes until a skewer poked into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.To make the icing, place the butter and icing sugar in a large bowl. For a lemony icing, add the lemon juice and milk or for a plain icing, just use milk. Beat with an electric whisk until smooth, pale and fluffy, then spread smoothly over the top of the cake with a spatula. To decorate, use the strawberry slices to make the central cross of a Union Jack on top of the cake. Add the raspberries to form the diagonal lines at the corners. Fill in the rest of the gaps with blueberries. The cake will keep in an airtight tin in a cool place for 3 days (do not place in the fridge). It is best decorated on the day of serving as the cut strawberries will bleed into the icing over time. To make the sponge, preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Use a tiny knob of the butter to grease a 20x30cm/8x12in cake tin and then line with baking paper. To make the sponge, preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Use a tiny knob of the butter to grease a 20x30cm/8x12in cake tin and then line with baking paper. Put the butter, caster sugar, vanilla and lemon zest in a large bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until the butter is pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one by one. Add the flour, baking powder and soured cream and use a spatula or metal spoon to mix to a smooth batter. Put the butter, caster sugar, vanilla and lemon zest in a large bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until the butter is pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one by one. Add the flour, baking powder and soured cream and use a spatula or metal spoon to mix to a smooth batter. Scrape the cake mixture into the tin and bake for 22–25 minutes until a skewer poked into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Scrape the cake mixture into the tin and bake for 22–25 minutes until a skewer poked into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To make the icing, place the butter and icing sugar in a large bowl. For a lemony icing, add the lemon juice and milk or for a plain icing, just use milk. Beat with an electric whisk until smooth, pale and fluffy, then spread smoothly over the top of the cake with a spatula. To make the icing, place the butter and icing sugar in a large bowl. For a lemony icing, add the lemon juice and milk or for a plain icing, just use milk. Beat with an electric whisk until smooth, pale and fluffy, then spread smoothly over the top of the cake with a spatula. To decorate, use the strawberry slices to make the central cross of a Union Jack on top of the cake. Add the raspberries to form the diagonal lines at the corners. Fill in the rest of the gaps with blueberries. The cake will keep in an airtight tin in a cool place for 3 days (do not place in the fridge). It is best decorated on the day of serving as the cut strawberries will bleed into the icing over time. To decorate, use the strawberry slices to make the central cross of a Union Jack on top of the cake. Add the raspberries to form the diagonal lines at the corners. Fill in the rest of the gaps with blueberries. The cake will keep in an airtight tin in a cool place for 3 days (do not place in the fridge). It is best decorated on the day of serving as the cut strawberries will bleed into the icing over time. Recipe tips If you don't have lemon juice, leave it out and up the milk to 3 tablespoons.