Vanilla Sponge Cake

Makes: 18 cm (7 in) round cake Serves: 8–10

Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 45 minutes

Cooling time: 30 minutes

225 g (8 oz/1½ cups) self-raising flour

85 g (3 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

225 g (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened

225 g (8 oz/1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar

2 vanilla beans, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons full-cream (whole) milk

100 g (3½ oz) plain yoghurt

For the vanilla syrup

50 g (1¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) and line one 18 cm (7 in) round springform cake tin with non-stick baking paper.

Sift the flours and baking powder together into a bowl and set aside.

To make the vanilla syrup, gently heat 100 ml (3½ fl oz) water, the sugar and vanilla in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, for 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.

For the cake, using a standmixer, cream the butter, sugar and just the seeds from the vanilla beans in a mixing bowl for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, to the creamed butter mixture, still beating to prevent the mixture curdling. If it does separate just add a teaspoonful of flour and continue beating, occasionally scraping down the bowl with a spatula.

Add the sifted dry ingredients to the batter, followed by the milk. Beat in the yoghurt. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin, creating a well in the centre to prevent a large hump from rising. Bake the cake for about 45 minutes (check it after 30 minutes), or until the cake is springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack. Peel off the lining paper and using a skewer poke some holes all over the cake, making sure that the skewer goes through to the bottom. Drizzle or brush the cake with the vanilla syrup and leave it to cool completely.

You can store the cake wrapped in plastic wrap for 3 days or in the freezer for up to a month. Defrost overnight.