This light-as-air, snowy white cake is a classic, and great served with coffee. It’s traditionally baked in a ring mould and served in slices.

Ingredients: (Serves 8)

For the cake:

• 100 g/3½ oz all-purpose flour
• 200 g/7 oz caster sugar
• 10 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the icing:

• 100 g/3½ oz caster sugar
• 4 tablespoons water
• 2 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons golden syrup
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Fresh strawberries, to serve

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4. In a large bowl, sift together the flour and half the sugar three times until very light. Set aside.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff, then gradually whisk in the remaining sugar until thick and glossy. Whisk in the vanilla extract.

Sift half the flour and sugar mixture over the egg whites, then fold it in. Repeat with the remaining flour and sugar mixture. Spoon the batter into a non-stick 25-cm/10-inch ring mould. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

To make the icing, put the sugar in a small pan with the 4 tablespoons of water. Heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, then boil until the temperature reaches 115ºC/240ºF. In a clean bowl, quickly whisk the egg whites until very stiff, then gradually pour the hot syrup into the egg whites in a thin stream, whisking continuously until thick and glossy. Whisk in the golden syrup and vanilla extract. Continue whisking until the icing is cooled, then spread over the cake. Serve with strawberries.