Blackberry and Elderflower Pimm's O'Cake

Pimm's is the first alcoholic drink I ever remember being allowed to try, and actually enjoying. I was about eleven at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park with my parents. We'd paused our long day of wandering around the show at the Pimm's tent, and because I was so fascinated by all the fruit floating around the jug, I was allowed a tiny little glass all to myself. I felt terribly grown up! It became a bit of a ritual; every year we'd go to the flower show and spend an hour or so of the day just lounging around with Pimm's, enjoying the sunshine (or huddling under a big umbrella...).

My love has not diminished since this first introduction, and a tall glass of Pimm's and lemonade overflowing with ice, strawberries, cucumber and mint leaves is still, I think, the ultimate way to enjoy it. But with my love of cake, I couldn't help thinking a little bit more outside the box, particularly when I came across a bottle of the relatively new Blackberry and Elderflower Pimm's in cupboard. And what could be better than a moist, fruity sponge cake laced with a little bit of summery naughtiness and covered fresh fruit? I'd argue not much.

Blackberry and Elderflower Pimm's O'Cake

225g Unsalted Butter
200g Golden Caster Sugar
4 Eggs
225g Self Raising Flour
Zest and Juice of One Lemon
Handful of Fresh Mint Leaves, Chopped
50ml Blackberry and Elderflower Pimm's
100ml Blackberry and Elderflower Pimm's

Fresh Summer Fruits and 250ml of cream whipped with 50g Icing Sugar to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease and line two 10" cake pans

2. Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs one at a time.

3. Fold in the flour, then the lemon zest.

4. If you're lucky and have some mint in your garden, head out on a mint hunt - it grows in very obscure places! Otherwise you can pick up fresh mint in the supermarket with ease.

5. Wash and chop the mint you collected, and add half of it to the cake mixture. Then add the 50ml of Pimm's and the juice of the lemon you zested earlier.

6. Bake for around 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Whilst still warm, drizzle the 100ml of Pimm's over the flat bases of the cakes.

7. When completely cool, sandwich together with half of the whipped cream, making sure the two soaked surfaces are the ones next to the cream - this way you get a pretty pink pattern around the cream when you cut into it! Top the cake with the rest of the whipped cream, summer fruits of your choice and the remainder of the chopped mint leaves.