Confetti layer cake

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4, then grease and base line 3 x 20cm round cake tins with baking parchment. For the cake batter, in a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat 375g butter and sugar for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy. One at a time, add the eggs, including a spoonful of the flour with each (5 spoons in total), beating well after each addition. Beat in the yoghurt and vanilla extract until just combined.

Sift over the remaining flour, the bicarbonate of soda and ½ tsp salt, then carefully fold in until smooth. Fold in enough milk until the batter is of dropping consistency (it should fall off a spoon in 3 seconds). Divide evenly between the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden, springy to the touch and cooked through; a skewer inserted should come out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool fully.

For the icing, in a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat 500g butter on low for 2-3 minutes, until smooth. Sift over 1/3 of the icing sugar and beat on a low setting until just combined. Sift the remaining icing sugar and 1tsp salt into the bowl and beat for another 2 minutes on a low setting. Increase the speed to high and beat for another 5-7 minutes until the mixture is very pale, fluffy and combined. Spoon ¼ of the icing into a bowl and stir through the jam. Cover the rest of the icing and set aside at room temperature.

Use a serrated knife to flatten out the tops of each cake (discard/ eat the cake scraps). Put one cake on a flat serving plate. Spoon over 1/3 of the raspberry icing, then smooth out into an even layer with the back of the spoon or a palette knife. Sandwich a second cake on top and repeat with another 1/3 of the icing, then put the ­nal cake on top. Spread the remaining raspberry icing around the sides and top of the cake and carefully smooth with an angled (sometimes called offset) palette knife. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes-1 hour to fi­rm up the icing (known as a crumb coat).

Spoon about 6 tbsp of the white icing into a large piping bag ­tted with an open star nozzle, then set aside. Gently fold the 100s & 1000s through the remaining icing. Use this to completely cover the top and sides of the cake, then smooth. Pipe decorative patterns around the top and base of the cake (we used shell piping, see overleaf ), then carefully scatter extra 100s & 1000s over the piped icing.