Lyle's Union Jack Cake

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line 3 x 20cm sandwich tins. (If you don't have 3 tins, you'll have to bake in two batches).
2. Beat the butter and caster sugar together using a wooden spoon or hand-held electric mixer until the mixture is very pale in colour and light in texture. Beat the syrup and eggs together in a jug, then add them to the creamed mixture a little at a time, beating well between each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Sift the flour and salt into the bowl. Use a large metal spoon to fold the flour into the mixture. Do this as lightly as possible. Gently stir in the milk. Divide the mixture equally between the prepared tins and level the tops with a palette knife. Transfer the tins to the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
4. Test that the cakes are cooked. They should be golden brown, and when the surface is touched lightly with your finger it should spring back. Cool on a wire rack for 8-10 minutes, then carefully turn out the cakes. Peel away the lining paper and cool completely.
5. While the cakes are cooling, make the butter cream. Beat the butter until soft with a wooden spoon or electric mixer, then sift in the icing sugar. Beat again until light and creamy, then beat in the golden syrup and vanilla extract.
6. When the cakes are completely cool, spread two cakes with butter cream and jam (reserving one-third of the butter cream). Sandwich together and spread the remaining butter cream on top. Arrange the raspberries, strawberries and blueberries on top, to look like a Union Jack.