Prepare the Oven and Tin: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line a 20cm x 30cm rectangular baking tray or shallow tin with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides to help you lift the cake out later.

Make the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, cream the softened butter and caster sugar together for 3-5 minutes until pale and fluffy. This step, known as the creaming method, incorporates air into the batter, which is key for a light cake.

Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of your flour mixture with the last egg to help prevent curdling. Once combined, mix in the vanilla extract.

Combine Dry and Wet: Sift the plain flour, baking powder, and salt into a separate bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on a low speed until just combined. Pour in the milk, mix again, and then add the remaining flour. I find that it’s best not to overmix here; stop as soon as you can't see any dry flour.

Bake the Cake: Scrape the batter into your prepared tin and level the top with a spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes before using the parchment paper to lift it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the Strawberries: While the cake cools, prepare the fruit. Set aside a handful of the prettiest strawberries for decoration. Slice the remaining strawberries and place them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of caster sugar. Stir gently and set aside for 15-20 minutes to macerate. This will draw out their juices.

Make the Icing: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth. Add the sifted icing sugar and beat on a low speed at first (to avoid a sugar cloud!), then increase the speed and beat for 3-4 minutes until light and creamy. Add the cold cream cheese and vanilla, and beat for another minute until just combined. Don't overbeat once the cream cheese is in, as it can become runny.

Assemble the Cake: Once the cake is completely cool, use a long, serrated knife to carefully slice it in half horizontally. Place the bottom layer on your serving plate or board. Spread about one-third of the icing over the bottom layer. Drain the sliced strawberries (reserving any juice for drizzling, if you like) and arrange them evenly over the icing.

Finish and Decorate: Carefully place the top layer of the cake on top. Use the remaining icing to cover the top of the cake, making lovely swirls with the back of a spoon or a palette knife. Decorate with the fresh strawberries you set aside earlier—you can leave them whole or slice them.

Chill Before Serving: For the neatest slice, I recommend chilling the assembled cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This allows the icing to set firmly. Use a sharp knife to cut into slices and serve.