Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian
The cats here have literally got the cream. They are not essential but it is fun to have at least one or two.
Serves: about 10-12
Ingredients for cake
200g salted butter
230g caster sugar
2 tsp rose water
200g eggs (about 4 medium)
90g ground pistachio
140g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
For filling
400ml double cream
Icing sugar (optional)
1 ½ tsp rose water
300g fresh strawberries
Apricot jam or honey
For the cats
White and coloured fondant (eg grey, orange, brown)
Gel food dyes
Vodka (optional)
Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/325F/gas mark 3. Grease and line the bases of two 18cm round cake tins.
Use an electric whisk to cream together the butter and the sugar, until light and fluffy. Add the rose water and whisk again. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together. Add the eggs to the mixture one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the pistachio, flour and baking powder. Whisk until just combined (ideally by hand to avoid overmixing).
Spoon the mixture evenly between the cake tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (ie no wet batter). Once baked, leave in the tins for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, and turn out on to a wire rack. Peel off the baking paper. Leave to cool completely.
Meanwhile, whip the double cream with the icing sugar (to taste) and rose water. Chop the strawberries into quarters and brush with jam or honey, thinned with a little water. Shape the cats using white and coloured fondant. Then paint their features using gel food dyes mixed with a little water or (ideally) vodka.
When the cakes are cool, you can start assembling. Transfer the cream to a piping bag, fitted with a decorative nozzle. Place the first cake layer on a display stand, then pipe the cream all around the edge of the top, and then in the centre. Arrange cut strawberries on top in a decorative style, occasionally skipping a couple of strawberries to add one of the fondant cats. Sandwich with the second cake layer. Then pipe more cream on top, and add a pile of strawberries to the centre, plus a couple of cats to finish.
