Fiona Cairns' almond apricot rose petal cake recipe

Royal baker Fiona Cairns made this tangy sponge cake for the Marie Curie Cancer Care's Blooming Great Tea Party. The simple floral design makes this cake the perfect girly treat

Ingredients

• 225g unsalted butter, really soft, plus extra for greasing the tin
• 225g golden caster sugar
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 160g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 60g ground almonds
• 1 tsp almond extract
• Finely grated zest of 1 small orange

For the filling and decoration

• 5 tbsp apricot jam
• 200g tub crème fraiche
• Icing sugar to dust (about a tablespoon)
• Fresh unsprayed rose petals to decorate

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
2. Butter and base line 2 x 20cm round tins with baking parchment.
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder, stir in the ground almonds and set aside.
4. Into the bowl of an electric mixer place the softened butter and sugar (or a bowl and a hand-held whisk) and cream together until light and fluffy.
5. Gradually add the eggs, continuing to mix as you do so, and add a tablespoon of the flour mixture to prevent the mixture from curdling.
6. Fold in the flour, ground almond mixture and lastly the almond extract, and orange zest.
7. Divide the mixture between the 2 prepared tins and bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm to the touch or a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave in the tins for a minute or two and then turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. Remove the papers and leave until cold.
8. When ready to serve, simply place one of the cakes upside down onto the serving plate or cake stand and spread the flat surface with a layer of crème fraiche and then a layer of apricot jam. Place the other cake on top - the two flat surfaces will be together. Sift over a dusting of icing sugar and decorate with a scattering of dry, freshly picked rose petals.