Basic vanilla sponge

Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4.

Grease and line your cake tin. To do this, use wax paper to spread butter or margarine around all the areas your batter will touch whilst cooking. Coat the greased areas in a fine layer of flour and tap tin to remove excess. Lay a single strip of wax paper along the bottom of the tin and up each side to form "handles" which you will need later.

Cream butter and caster sugar until light in colour and fluffy. I suggest you use an electric whisk to add more air into your batter.

Add the eggs one at a time followed by the milk and vanilla essence. Whisk until thoroughly combined.

Sift the flour and baking powder from the top of the bowl to add air and fold in gradually in with a metal spoon or silicone spatula.

Pour mixture into your prepared cake tin and tap filled tin onto work surface several times to remove air bubbles and smooth the batter.

Put into the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Whilst it's cooking, you can wash up!

Once cooked, lay on the work surface for 10 minutes before turning out using your handles and leaving to cool if desired. If you want, you can cover your cake in a frosting or fondant or dust it in icing sugar and serve generously with tea.