Cherry & Mixed Seed Madeira Cake

Heat the oven to 180˚C fan. Grease and line two 18cm round cake tins with butter. Slice the pitted cherries into 3 pieces each.

Use an electric whisk to beat the butter and sugar together for 4 mins until thick and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until just incorporated.

Sieve the flour into the butter and sugar mixture then fold it in with a spoon or spatula. Add the milk slowly, gently mixing as you do – you may not need all the milk, you only need enough to ensure that the mixture falls slowly from the spoon. Fold in the seeds and cherries.

Divide the mixture between the two prepared cake tins and level out to the edges. Bake for 30–35 mins, or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 10 mins before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the whipped cream, pour the cream into a chilled bowl large enough to hold at least double the volume of cream you’re whipping. Use an electric whisk to whip the cream on a medium speed until it's starting to thicken and you see the first sign of stiff peaks forming. Add the sugar then reduce the speed to low-medium just until you have very soft speaks – watch carefully as it will happen quickly.

Spread the base layer with the jam and spread or pipe the whipped cream on top. Sandwich the two halves of the cake together.

Sift in the icing sugar with enough lemon juice to give it a pouring consistency, then pour over the top of the cake. Decorate with toasted almonds.