Stack-of-Stars Cake

This is a really light, quick and easy dessert that is sure to impress! :-) I made a double batch for Christmas and it made about 10 stacks. Slightly awkward to eat, but their beauty makes up for it!

Ingredients:
melted butter for greasing
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup plan flour
1/2 cup raspberry or strawberry jam
200ml double cream
Pure icing sugar (for dusting)

Method:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 180degreesCelcius.

Step 2: Brush base and sides of a 38x26cm Swiss roll tin with melted butter, then line with baking paper. After resigning myself to the fact that I didn't have a fancy Swiss roll tin, and buttering and lining a couple of other baking dishes as subsitutes, I discovered that I did in fact have a swiss roll tin... for those who, like me, had no idea what the heck a Swiss roll tin was, its basically just a shallow, flat baking tray... (A bit deeper than the average baking tray though, so don't try using a baking tray instead it'll just overflow)

Step 3: Beat eggs, vanilla and sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer for 10-15minutes or until the mixture is thick and creamy and a ribbon pattern forms on mixture when beaters are lifted (I don't actually know what a 'ribbon' pattern is meant to look like, but I stopped when there were clear lines radiating out from the beaters that stayed when I removed them [is that any clearer than 'ribbon pattern'? Probably not...]).

Step 4: Sift both flours twice, and then sift flours over the egg mixture. Fold in with a large metal spoon until just combined.

Pour mixture into prepared tin and smooth the top.

Step 5: Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake is lightly golden and springs back when touched with your fingertips.

Run a knife around the edges of cake, then invert onto a clean surface or chopping board lined with baking paper.

Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to cool.


Step 6: Using 3 star-shaped cutters (largest being 8cm) cut out 4 shapes of each size from cake.

Step 7: Put the largest star on a serving plate. Put 1 teaspoonful of jam in centre of the star, then add a dollop of cream and top with the medium sized star. Repeat with jam and cream then top with the smallest star. Dust the stack with icing sugar. Repeat with remaining stars, jam, cream and icing sugar.