CREAM SANDWICH

Ingredients

• 4 ounces butter (Softened to room temperature for easy creaming)
• 4 ounces brown sugar (Fine brown sugar works best)
• 4 ounces fine flour (Plain all-purpose flour, sifted)
• 4 whole eggs (Large eggs at room temperature, added one at a time)
• 1 squeeze lemon juice (Use either lemon juice OR rose water — not both)
• 1 tablespoon rose water (Alternative to lemon juice — use one or the other)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (Add last to the batter)
• 0.25 pint cream (Use double or heavy whipping cream for best results — must whip to a thick, stiff consistency)
• 1 portion chocolate icing (Ready-made or homemade chocolate icing sufficient to coat the tops of the sandwiches)

Instructions

1. 1Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F / Gas Mark 4). Lightly grease two shallow baking tins (such as Swiss roll or brownie tins) with a little butter and line with baking paper to prevent sticking. This ensures the baked cake releases cleanly and bakes evenly.
2. 2Place the 4 ounces of softened butter into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or an electric hand mixer, beat the butter vigorously until it becomes pale, light, and fluffy — this takes about 3 to 4 minutes. Properly creamed butter is key to a light texture in the final cake.
3. 3With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the 4 ounces of brown sugar to the creamed butter, beating well after each addition. Next, add the 4 ounces of sifted fine flour a little at a time, mixing gently. Then add the 4 eggs one by one — crack each egg into a small cup first to avoid shells, then add it and beat until fully incorporated before adding the next. Add either a squeeze of lemon juice or 1 tablespoon of rose water (choose one, not both) and mix in. Finally, add 1 teaspoon of baking powder and mix until the batter is smooth and thoroughly combined. The batter should be thick and uniform.
4. 4Pour the batter evenly into the prepared shallow tins, spreading it to an even layer with a spatula or the back of a spoon — aim for a thin, even layer roughly 1 cm deep. Place in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown, springs back when lightly pressed in the centre, and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before proceeding.
5. 5Once the baked cake is completely cool, pour the quarter pint (approximately 140 ml) of cream into a clean, cold mixing bowl. Using a whisk or electric hand mixer, whip the cream briskly until it is perfectly thick and holds firm peaks — it should not be runny or pourable. Be careful not to over-whip or it will turn grainy. Keep the whipped cream chilled in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble.
6. 6Once the baked cake is fully cooled and the cream is whipped, use a sharp knife to cut the baked cake into even strips or rectangles of equal size. Lay out half the strips on a clean work surface. Spread a generous, even layer of the thick whipped cream over each of these bottom strips. Place the remaining strips on top, pressing down gently to sandwich them together, just as you would with a regular sandwich.
7. 7Using a palette knife or spoon, spread the chocolate icing evenly over the top of each assembled sandwich, covering the surface completely. Allow the icing to set for a few minutes before serving. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.