As a busy Mum on work days Hubby usually cooks, just so I get a break and because he uses cooking as way of winding down after a stressful day, but tonight I decided we needed a quick dessert as we always crave something sweet after dinner.
 
After 6 hours of Insurance, school run, washing, ironing and gardening it really did need to be quick and simple and it couldn’t of been any easier. Everything is brought, so no cooking just a quick assemble and hey presto, dessert!! It also looks rather impressive as well, especially after a quick sprinkle of glitter.
 
The good thing is this could be adapted and made in so many ways by using a brought chocolate cake, cherry cake, maderia, anything that takes your fancy, just top with custard or cream and any fruit that is in season, or even tinned. You can make it child friendly with fruit juice as I have tonight or very grown up with a liqueur.
 
Buon appetito
Serves 4 – 6
 
350g marmalade pudding cake
80ml Cointreau or other orange liqueur
zest and juice of 1 orange
250ml double cream (I whisked mine up with a tablespoon of icing sugar for sweetness)
300g blackberries
 
Cut the cake into slices and arrange on a nice serving plate, wide shallow bowl or cake stand of your choice. Drizzle with the orange liqueur.
 
Zest the orange into a bowl and leave to one side. The squeeze the juice from the orange, pouring this over the liqueur soaked sponge.
 
Whip the cream (with the icing sugar if using) until thick but softly so, and spoon over the top of the sponge.
 
Arrange the blackberries over the top of the whipped cream, then scatter with the reserved zest and in my case lots of glitter.
 
Ideas:-
 
Maderia sponge, amaretto liqueur, cream & peaches.
 
Chocolate sponge, Tia Maria or Baileys, cream & strawberries.
 
Cherry sponge, Kirsch, cream & fresh cherries/cherry pie filling.
 
Maderia sponge, Malibu, cream, fresh or tinned pineapple & shavings of coconut.
 
To be honest the only limits are your own imagination. It would also be a great way of using up homemade cake that has gone a little stale or even a sponge that has gone a little wrong, once it is sliced up, no one would ever know. So have fun and get creative.