This sponge recipe can be baked in almost any shape and tin/pan. It can also be used to make delicious cupcakes – just add frosting.
basic vanilla sponge
medium cake, to fit an 18-cm/7-in round cake tin/pan
175 g/1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
175 g/¾ cup plus
2 tablespoons caster/granulated sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
175 g/1⅓ cups plain/all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
3 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
large cake, to fit a 23-cm/9-in round cake tin/pan
250 g/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
250 g/1¼ cups caster/granulated sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
250 g/2 cups plain/all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
3–4 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4. Grease the cake tin/pan you are using.
2 Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a large bowl and an electric whisk). Ask an adult to help you cream them until very pale, light and fluffy.
3 Gradually add the eggs, mixing well between each addition and scraping down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula from time to time. Add the vanilla extract and mix again.
4 Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to your mixing bowl and mix again until smooth and well mixed. Add the milk and mix again. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin/pan and spread evenly.
5 Ask an adult to help you put the tin/pan on the middle shelf of the preheated oven. Bake until the cake is golden brown, well risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Timings will vary according to the recipe that you are using.
Here are some of the frostings and icings that are used throughout the book. Refer to individual recipes for further instructions.
chocolate glaze
175 g/6 oz. dark/bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 Ask an adult to help you put the chocolate and oil in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water or in the microwave on a low setting. Stir very carefully until the chocolate has melted, then leave to cool for about 10 minutes before using.
glacé icing
250 g/2 cups icing/confectioners’ sugar
2–3 tablespoons water or lemon juice
1 Sift the icing/confectioners’ sugar into a bowl and, using a balloon whisk, gradually stir in enough water or lemon juice to make a smooth icing that will coat the back of a spoon. Add a little more water or juice for a runnier icing.
175 g/6 oz. dark/bittersweet chocolate, chopped
125 g/1 stick unsalted butter, diced
125 ml/½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
225 g/1¾ cups icing/confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 Ask an adult to help you put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water or in the microwave on a low setting. Stir very carefully until melted.
2 Put the milk, vanilla extract and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the mixing bowl and stir until smooth and thickened. You may need to leave this somewhere cool for 30 minutes to thicken enough to spread.
buttercream frosting
350 g/3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
700 g/4½ cups icing/confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 Put the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a large bowl and an electric whisk). Ask an adult to help you cream it until pale and smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat until pale and smooth.
2 Add the vanilla extract, if using, and beat until combined.