A few simple cake recipes
A basic 7"/18cm sponge
4oz (110g) butter
4oz (110g) sugar
2 large eggs
4oz (110g) self-raising flour
2 7"/ 20cm sponge tins
Preheat the oven to gas mark 3, 325F, 170C.
Cream together the butter and sugar until it is pale and fluffy.
Add in one egg at a time to the mixture, and mix well.
Fold in the flour until it is incorporated.
Split the mixture between the two tins.
Cook for 25-30mins or until they are golden and springy to the touch.
Take out of oven and leave to cool.
Decorate as you want, perhaps with jam in the middle and icing sugar sifted on the top.
Want a chocolate sponge? Add in a tbsp of cocoa powder to the flour.
Want a decadent treat? Add a layer of strawberry jam and whipped cream between the two layers.
Want a bigger cake? Use the 1, 2, 2, 2 method. So for the weight of 1 egg you need twice as much butter, sugar and flour. For example, for an 8" cake with 3 eggs, use 6oz butter, 6oz sugar and 6oz flour (assumes an egg weighs 2oz).
4oz (110g) sugar
2 large eggs
4oz (110g) self-raising flour
2 7"/ 20cm sponge tins
Preheat the oven to gas mark 3, 325F, 170C.
Cream together the butter and sugar until it is pale and fluffy.
Add in one egg at a time to the mixture, and mix well.
Fold in the flour until it is incorporated.
Split the mixture between the two tins.
Cook for 25-30mins or until they are golden and springy to the touch.
Take out of oven and leave to cool.
Decorate as you want, perhaps with jam in the middle and icing sugar sifted on the top.
Want a chocolate sponge? Add in a tbsp of cocoa powder to the flour.
Want a decadent treat? Add a layer of strawberry jam and whipped cream between the two layers.
Want a bigger cake? Use the 1, 2, 2, 2 method. So for the weight of 1 egg you need twice as much butter, sugar and flour. For example, for an 8" cake with 3 eggs, use 6oz butter, 6oz sugar and 6oz flour (assumes an egg weighs 2oz).
Ice cream cupcakes (by Hannah, one of our bakers)
Ice cream cups
200g (7oz) caster sugar
200g (7oz) butter, softened
4 eggs
200g (7oz) self-raising flower- swap 3tbsp of this for 3tbsp cocoa powder
5ml (1tsp) baking powder
30ml (2tbsp) milk
1. Stand ice cream cups in muffin tray. Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees/Gas Mark 5.
2. In a large bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until you have a smooth, soft batter.
3. Spoon batter into a piping bag, snip the end and fill each ice cream cone.
(do this rather than spooning it in to avoid mess and air pockets!)
4. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes
5. Remove Ice cream cones from muffin tray and allow to cool completely.
6. Ice using butter-cream, sprinkles and a flake!
200g (7oz) caster sugar
200g (7oz) butter, softened
4 eggs
200g (7oz) self-raising flower- swap 3tbsp of this for 3tbsp cocoa powder
5ml (1tsp) baking powder
30ml (2tbsp) milk
1. Stand ice cream cups in muffin tray. Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees/Gas Mark 5.
2. In a large bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until you have a smooth, soft batter.
3. Spoon batter into a piping bag, snip the end and fill each ice cream cone.
(do this rather than spooning it in to avoid mess and air pockets!)
4. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes
5. Remove Ice cream cones from muffin tray and allow to cool completely.
6. Ice using butter-cream, sprinkles and a flake!
Hannah's banana loaf
100g (4 oz) butter, softened
175g (6 oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons milk
Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees/Gas Mark 4.
Measure all the ingredients into mixing bowl and beat for about 2 minutes until well blended.
Spoon mixture into prepared tin and level surface
Bake for about 1 hour, until well risen and golden brown.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin, then loosen with palette knife and turn the cake out.
Allow to cool completely, slice thickly to serve.
175g (6 oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons milk
Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees/Gas Mark 4.
Measure all the ingredients into mixing bowl and beat for about 2 minutes until well blended.
Spoon mixture into prepared tin and level surface
Bake for about 1 hour, until well risen and golden brown.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin, then loosen with palette knife and turn the cake out.
Allow to cool completely, slice thickly to serve.
Sam's Apple Crumble Cakes
For twelve standard size
For The Cakes:
120g caster sugar
120g butter
2 Large-ish Eggs
120g flour
1 Apple (a standard eating apple so they aren't too sharp)
1tsp cinnamon
A little bit of milk to loosen the mixture
For the Crumble:
100g Flour
60g unrefined brown sugar
70g butter
For the Buttercream:
175g icing sugar
75g butter
Up to 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 180c or 160c for a fan oven.
2) Make the crumble first by mixing the flour and sugar, then rubbing in the butter. Set to one side.
3) Move on to making the cakes; cream the butter and sugar together and then mix in the eggs. Chop the apple at this point to stop them going too brown and add to the mixture.
4) Fold in the flour and the cinnamon. If the mixture is too sticky, pop in a little bit of milk to loosen it, not too much though or the crumble won't stay on top.
5 )Put the mixture evenly into cases and give the tin a little shake to settle the top.
6) Sprinkle the crumble on top, you can be quite generous (any left over can be used to top it up if it sinks into the cake after its started cooking).
7) Pop them in the oven for 10-15 minutes depending on your oven.
8) Check them about halfway through to see if the topping has sunk into the cake, if it has top the crumble up a little bit from what you had leftover, the top of the cake should be firming up now which will hold it a bit better.
9) Check them after about 12 minutes with a skewer to see if they are done. Take them out when the skewer comes out clean, give them a minute or two in the tin then pop them on a wire rack to cool.
10) Once the cakes have cooled completely you can do the buttercream; mix the butter and most of the icing sugar until it starts to come together. Add two tablespoons of maple syrup and taste. Keep adding a bit more until you are happy with the taste then add more icing sugar until you are happy with the texture. Blob it on, but not too much otherwise you lose the crumble.
For The Cakes:
120g caster sugar
120g butter
2 Large-ish Eggs
120g flour
1 Apple (a standard eating apple so they aren't too sharp)
1tsp cinnamon
A little bit of milk to loosen the mixture
For the Crumble:
100g Flour
60g unrefined brown sugar
70g butter
For the Buttercream:
175g icing sugar
75g butter
Up to 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 180c or 160c for a fan oven.
2) Make the crumble first by mixing the flour and sugar, then rubbing in the butter. Set to one side.
3) Move on to making the cakes; cream the butter and sugar together and then mix in the eggs. Chop the apple at this point to stop them going too brown and add to the mixture.
4) Fold in the flour and the cinnamon. If the mixture is too sticky, pop in a little bit of milk to loosen it, not too much though or the crumble won't stay on top.
5 )Put the mixture evenly into cases and give the tin a little shake to settle the top.
6) Sprinkle the crumble on top, you can be quite generous (any left over can be used to top it up if it sinks into the cake after its started cooking).
7) Pop them in the oven for 10-15 minutes depending on your oven.
8) Check them about halfway through to see if the topping has sunk into the cake, if it has top the crumble up a little bit from what you had leftover, the top of the cake should be firming up now which will hold it a bit better.
9) Check them after about 12 minutes with a skewer to see if they are done. Take them out when the skewer comes out clean, give them a minute or two in the tin then pop them on a wire rack to cool.
10) Once the cakes have cooled completely you can do the buttercream; mix the butter and most of the icing sugar until it starts to come together. Add two tablespoons of maple syrup and taste. Keep adding a bit more until you are happy with the taste then add more icing sugar until you are happy with the texture. Blob it on, but not too much otherwise you lose the crumble.
