A light and delicate dream of a cake – perfect for entertaining

A cake that looks almost too pretty to eat

Credit : Haarala Hamilton

Diana Henry

The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer

Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.

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Published 08 May 2026 2:44pm BST

This cake is both very British – elderflower and strawberries – and very Scandinavian. Whisked sponges are properly made by beating the eggs and sugar over a pan of simmering water, but it’s a bit of a palaver. If you have a good, powerful mixer you can achieve a good result, but the addition of baking powder gives the cake a bit of help to rise.…