Name: Basic sponge cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: serving
Cuisine: Bake
Ingredients: 250 g butter at room temperature; 250 g castor sugar; 5 ml Vanilla essence; 4 eggs large; 250 g cake flour; 7 ml Baking powder; salt just a pinch; water for mixing; jam for serving; icing sugar for dusting

Recipe Disclaimer

Tap for method

Ingredients (10)

250 g	butter — at room temperature
250 g	castor sugar
5 ml	Vanilla essence
4	eggs — large
250 g	cake flour
7 ml	Baking powder
	salt — just a pinch
	water — for mixing
	jam — for serving
	icing sugar — for dusting

Tap for ingredients

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line two 18 cm cake tins.

Cream the butter and castor sugar together until softened. Add the vanilla essence and gradually beat in the eggs, one at a time. Do not worry if the mixture looks split as the flour will bring it together again.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.

Fold the flour mixture spoon by spoon into the creamed mixture, adding a little water each time to form a batter with a soft dropping consistency.

Divide the mixture between the prepared cake tins and bake for 15–20 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Remove from the oven, turn out of the tins and allow to cool on racks.

Sandwich together with jam of your choice and dust with icing sugar.

Recipe extract from ‘Everyday’ by Lisa Clark, published by Penguin Random House South Africa.

To receive quick and convenient weekday recipes, join our Easy Weekday Meals mailing list, and for up-to-date trending food, restaurant and wine news subscribe to our Editor’s Weekly newsletter.

Also try:

Lavender infused Devonshire sponge cake

Lemon & honey glazed, lavender infused devonshire sponge,topped with a cinnamon & citrus crème chantilly and covered by a black enamel sugar cage.