Base
4oz Sifted Self-raising flour
2 large eggs
2-3 drops vanilla essence
1tsp baking powder
4oz butter at room temperature
4oz caster sugar
Take one 7 inch (18 cm) sponge tins, no less than I inch (2.5 cm) deep, lightly-greased and lined with greaseproof paper (also greased) or silicone paper.
Take a large roomy mixing bowl, and sift flour and baking powder into it, holding the sieve high to give the flour a good airing. Then simply add all the other ingredients to the bowl, and whisk them preferably with an electric hand whisk — till thoroughly combined. If the mixture doesn’t drop off a wooden spoon easily when tapped on the side of the bowl, then add I or 2 teaspoons of tap-warm water, and whisk again.
Now divide the mixture between the two prepared tins, level off and bake on the centre shelf of the oven for about 30 minutes. When cooked leave them in the tins for only about 30 seconds, then loosen the edges by sliding a palette knife all round and turn them out onto a wire cooling rack. Peel off the base papers carefully and, when cool, sandwich the cakes together with vanilla flavored cream
Take one sponge cake, spike all over with skewer and soak with 1/2 pint of strong black sweetened coffee flavoured with rum or brandy. Top with vanilla flavoured cream and decorate with browned almonds.