VANILLA BUTTER CAKE

MAKES ONE THREE-LAYER 20 CM (8 INCH) ROUND CAKE

This wonderfully buttery classic cake is deliciously innocent in vanilla form, but you can glam it up by adding other flavours to the basic batter (see the suggestions at the end of the recipe). The cake will be easier to cut and layer if made a day ahead.

320 g (11¼ oz) butter

360 g (12¾ oz) sugar

36 g (1¼ oz) liquid glucose (see tip)

5 eggs

540 g (1 lb 3 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

1 teaspoon salt

25 g (1 oz) baking powder

240 ml (8 fl oz) milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF/Gas 4). Line a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin with baking paper.

Using a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and glucose until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well each time.

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together. Add in batches to the batter, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overmix or the cake will be tough. Stir in any desired flavour additions (see right).

Smooth into the lined cake tin and bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, or wrap well and freeze for up to 2 weeks.

To serve, cut the cake horizontally into three equal layers and fill with your choice of filling.

NOT SO STICKY

When measuring liquid glucose, first weigh out the sugar on your digital scales, leave the sugar on the scales and pour the glucose straight over the sugar — saves messing around with the sticky stuff, and there’ll be a bit less washing up.

VARIATIONS

lemon cake

Add the grated zest and juice of 3 lemons.

orange cake

Add the grated zest and juice of 2 oranges.

almond cake

Add 50 ml (1½ fl oz) of almond milk.

espresso cake

Add 2 shots of espresso coffee.