Supplies

  • For the jam:
  • 300g raspberries
  • 300g jam sugar
  • Juice ½ lemon
  • For the sponge:
  • 350g butter, softened
  • 350g caster sugar
  • 350g self raising flour
  • 6 eggs
  • 50ml milk
  • To decorate:
  • 1.2 kg biscuit coloured fondant icing, or dyed yourself
  • Apricot jam, warmed

Steps

  1. (Make the jam) Put the raspberries and lemon juice into a saucepan over a medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes, whilst using a potato masher to crush until pulpy. Add the jam sugar and boil rapidly for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool, then strain through a sieve so the jam is smooth and seedless. Set aside to cool completely.
  2. (Make the sponge) Pre-heat the oven to 160c.
  3. Line the base of the tart tins with greaseproof paper, and grease the sides well, going into all the nooks and crannies.
  4. Mix all the sponge ingredients together and split equally between the tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins until they are cool enough to handle, then remove and leave to cool on a wire rack.
  5. When completely cold put each sponge onto a board. Place the heart template in the centre of the first sponge and cut around it. Using a sharp knife remove ¼ inch of sponge from inside the heart outline. This sponge will be your top. With the second sponge, flip it over and cut a border going all the way round, about 2 inches from the edge. Set aside.
  6. (Make the icing) Knead the fondant icing with some ivory and yellow dyes until the right biscuit-y shade is achieved.
  7. (To assemble) Roll out 1/3 of the fondant icing, using a little corn flour to dust. Spread some of the warmed apricot jam over the base of the sponge and place the bottom sponge directly on top of the icing, the cut side facing upwards. Brush the rest of the sponge with jam, the pull the icing up and over the sides. Manipulate the icing so that it fits snugly into each indentation and finishes flush with the cut 2’’ from the edge. Trim if it overhangs the ridge you cut. Transfer this sponge onto the cake board.
  8. Fill the cavity with most of the raspberry jam, leaving a couple of tablespoons for later.
  9. Roll out another 1/3 of the icing. This time spread some apricot jam on the top of the top sponge and place that side down onto the icing. Pull the icing up and around the sides, sticking with jam as you go. Cover a 2’’ edge all around the sponge, then trim the remaining icing away. Sit this sponge on top of the other sponge, sandwiching the raspberry jam.
  10. Roll out the final 1/3 of icing and cut out a few shapes- a large splat and 4 circles. Place the large splat directly on top of the heart indentation, pushing it into the cavity to fit snugly. Stick down the circles around the edge and write JD on one of them.
  11. Fill the heart shaped cavity with the remaining strawberry jam.