Heat the oven to 170C, 150C fan, gas 3. Grease 3 x 18cm cake tins and double line the bases sides with baking parchment. Mix the flour, baking powder and ground almonds in a bowl,  leave aside

Beat the butter and 260g of the sugar until creamy and pale, gradually beat in the eggs then mix in the vanilla extract and 3tbsp of the malted drink powder. Fold in the flour mixture, followed by the milk. Divide between the tins, smoothing the tops. Bake in the oven (lower shelf ) for 25-35 mins or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Once cool enough to handle remove from the tins to a wire rack to cool completely

Meanwhile roughly chop and put 100g of the strawberries in a small saucepan along with the remaining sugar, roughly mash with a potato masher then set over a medium heat, bubble for a few mins until syrupy. Pass through a sieve discarding the pulp. Leave the syrup to cool then roughly chop 175g of the strawberries and mix in the syrup, halve the remaining strawberries and keep the smaller ones whole

Whisk the cream with the rest of the malt extract until holding its shape. Put one of the sponges on a serving plate, spread over a third of the cream and half the chopped strawberries and some of the syrup then top with another sponge, and add repeat the decoration. Set the last sponge on top then spread with the remaining cream and halved and whole strawberries, drizzle over a little more syrup. Add the thyme leaves and mini wafer flowers