My buttercream, step by step

Every good cake starts long before the oven: with a flavour you cannot stop thinking about, a colour, a memory. Today it is silky buttercream.

Where I start

Start with good ingredients. Real butter, ripe fruit and patience make more difference than any fancy tool.

The best cakes are made by people who love what they are making.

Bake the sponge a day ahead, chill it and fill it slowly. A calm kitchen makes a better cake.

Most of all, taste as you go. The best cakes are made by people who love what they are making.