Vanilla cake

Method

• step 1

  Preheat oven to 180'c

• step 2

  Grease cake tin with grease proof paper

• step 3

  Add butter and caster sugar to a mixing bowl. Mix until combined and soft.

• step 4

  Add eggs to sugar and butter mix. Mix until combined into a liquid paste. Also at this point add vanilla extract.

• step 5

  Fold in the flour gently until you get a slightly stiff batter.

• step 6

  Add cake mix to the cake tin and level out by shakimg the tin until service is flat.

• step 7

  Bake for 20-25 mins(until the top is spongy or a cake probe is clear from putting into the top). Tip: try not to open the oven door until at least 20 mins or your cake will collapse in the centre.

• step 8

  Remove from the oven and leave to cool. While your cake is cooling. Mix butter until softened and add icing sugar until its a stiff mixture(always soften butter completely because if not your mix will split). Add vanilla extract to taste and food colouring if wanted.

• step 9

  Once your cake is cooled. Slice directly through the middle. Add jam to bottom of the cake and 2/3 butter cream over the jam (piping looks nicer than spooning the mixture).

• step 10

  Add top of the cake to bottom.

• step 11

  Decorate to your own taste. I use fondant icing and flowers or shapes depending on what the cake is for. You can also just add icing sugar sieved on the top to create a victoria sponge.