Summer party cake - Good Food Middle East

Ingredients

• 300g salted butter, at room temperature
• 300g golden caster sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste (or the seeds from 2 vanilla pods with 2 tsp vanilla extract)
• 6 medium eggs, lightly beaten
• 300g self-raising flour
• 900ml double cream
• 1 heaped tbsp icing sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 300g good-quality or homemade strawberry jam (see tip)
• 1kg strawberries, chopped into even slices for neat layers (save 8 to decorate)
• pack of gold leaf (optional)
• meringue kisses, chocolate bark & chocolate-coated strawberries (see recipes in 'goes well with')
• shortbread biscuits (see recipe, or use shop-bought biscuits)