Cakes

(serves 8-10)

4 eggs at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 Tbsp milk

2 Tbsp butter

2 tsp coffee powder or granules

Heat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.

Grease or spray 2 x 21cm tins then line with baking paper.

Separate eggs and beat whites until stiff. Add the yolks and beat thoroughly.

Slowly add the sugar, beating well after each addition.

Sift flour and baking powder over the mixture in two lots.

Fold into mixture after each addition.

Heat milk, butter and coffee powder together in a saucepan.

Stir until combined and fold into mixture.

Divide mixture between prepared tins. Cook centre oven for 17 minutes.

Cool on a rack then fill with whipped cream.

To serve, dust with icing sugar or ice with coffee icing.

COFFEE ICING

3 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp coffee powder or granules

1 cup icing sugar

Heat milk, butter and coffee together, stirring until combined.

Add hot mixture to icing sugar then stir until smooth.

FEATHERWEIGHT SPONGE CAKE

(Use a graduated measuring cup).

3 eggs
1/2 cup Sugar-—4 ozs
1/2 cup plain flour —3 ozs.
Pinch of Salt
1 level teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1/2 level teaspoon Carb. Soda
1 oz. Butter
2 tablespoons Milk
1/4 cup Nurse’s Corn-flour—l oz.

Sift the flour three times with the salt and rising.
Heat the milk and butter till the latter is melted.
Beat the eggs lightly, add the sugar and beat till the mixture becomes thick and creamy. Add the sifted flours and the liquid, stirring very lightly.
Put into two well-greased 7-inch sandwich tins and bake for about 25 minutes in a moderate oven.

If larger than 7-inch tins are used, the baking time should be less for the thinner halves.
(Do not open the oven door, before 15 minutes).

When cold join together with Mock Cream filling and dust lightly over top with icing sugar.

DELICIOUS SPONGE SANDWICH

4 eggs ]. small teaspoon Cream of Tartai

6 ozs. Sugar | small teaspoon Garb. Soda

4 ozs. Plain Flour 2 oz. Butter

3 ozs. Nurse’s Corn-flour 4 tablespoons Water

Pinch of Salt

Follow method given for Featherweight Sponge

and put the mixture into two well-greased, 8-inch

sandwich tins. Bake in a moderate oven (350° F.)

for about 30 minutes.

Ingredients
35g (3 tbsp) butter
a pinch of salt
33g (3 tbsp) milk
20g (2 tbsp) sugar
52g (6 1/2 tbsp) plain flour
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 tsp lime / lemon juice or 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
38g (4 tbsp) sugar

softened butter – for greasing the cake pan

Prepare 6-inch cake pan / 23cm square baking pan or loaf tin. Rub a little butter around it, and cut a round piece of greaseproof/parchment paper to fit to your pan. Take a small handful of flour and sprinkling it evenly around the inside of the greased pan and remove excess.

Pre-heat oven 150°C (130°C fan).

Heat the butter in a saucepan, over low heat. Add a pinch of salt, milk and sugar until it dissolves. Turn off the heat. Sift the flour, add the egg yolks and mix by hand until just combined. do not over mix! Never use an electric mixer.

In a separate clean, dry bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy (do not over or under-beat the egg whites) then squeeze in a little lime or lemon juice, and sugar a little bit at a time, beating until to a thick and stiff peak stage.

Turn the egg whites into the batter, using a whisk, gently fold the egg whites until just incorporated. Tip into prepared tins, use a spatula and smooth the surface. Bang the cake pan a couple of times to get the air bubbles out of your cake batter.

Prepare a water bath. pour enough cold water in a larger pan until water level comes 3cm / 1 inch to reach halfway up the side of the pan.
Bake for 50 minutes or until the cake is set in the centre, test the cake by poking it with a skewer, if it’s cooked the skewer will come out clean. if not pop it back in the oven and bake until it’s ready. Baking time will depend on the size of your cake pan. (Baking at a lower temperature will help the cake rise much higher and bake more evenly.)

Bang the cake pan once again to prevent the cake shrinking too much during cooling. Once the cake is cool, remove the lining. Transfer the cake to a plate for serving. Cut to the shape you desire. Sprinkle with icing/powdered sugar. Any leftover cake can be covered and kept in the fridge for 2 days.

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 15cm cake tin.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Beat the eggs and add gradually to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together, and fold into the creamed mixture. Mix in the lemon rind.
5. Pour the mixture into the cake tin. Top with caster sugar and bake for about an hour or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Ingredients

1¾ cup sugar
zest of 2 lemons
2 eggs
½ cup oil
½ tsp salt
1½ cups plain unsweetened Greek yoghurt
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cups self-raising flour

Lemon icing
160g icing sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
½ Tbsp boiling water

Method
Heat oven to 180degC.
Grease and line a 20cm ring tin or 24cm round spring cake tin.
Use food processor: add sugar and lemon zest and process, then add eggs, oil and salt. Process till smooth, then add yoghurt and lemon juice. Blend to mix. Finally add flour and mix until just combined .
Pour into a lined cake tin and bake for 30-40 minutes – it may need extra time – until skewer comes out clean. Turn onto a rack. While the cake is still hot, spoon over the lemon icing. Allow to set for 10 minutes before slicing to serve.
Or dust with icing sugar or ice with cream cheese icing. Serve with yoghurt or cream.

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Ingredients:
125 g butter, room temperature
200 g (250 ml) White Sugar
5 ml (1 t) vanilla essence
3 extra-large eggs
280 g (500 ml) cake flour
15 ml (1 tbs) baking powder
3 ml (½ t) salt
150 ml milk

Butter Icing:
100 g butter, softened
260 g (500 ml) Icing Sugar, sifted
5ml (1 t) vanilla essence
+/- 30 ml (2 tbs) milk

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line 2 x 20 cm cake tins.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the vanilla essence.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
Fold into the creamed mixture, alternately with the milk.
Spoon mixture into the prepared cake tins, and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden in colour and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Leave in pans for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

Butter Icing:
Cream butter and icing sugar together.
Add the vanilla essence and enough milk to make a soft spreading consistency.

VARIATIONS

Chocolate Cake
Madeira-style Loaf
Cupcakes
Lemon or Orange Loaf
Strawberry Cream Cake
Custard Cake
Sponge Cake with Lemon Filling

1. CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 basic sponge cake (see above recipe)
25 g (60 ml) cocoa powder
60 ml (¼ cup) hot water

Method:

Blend the cocoa powder with the hot water and add to cake batter (i.e. basic sponge cake recipe).
Cook cake according to above recipe.

Chocolate Icing:

30 ml (2 tbs) cocoa
30 ml (2 tbs) hot water
butter icing (see recipe above)

Method:

Dissolve the cocoa in the hot water and add to the butter and icing sugar mixture.
Add the vanilla essence and enough milk to make a soft spreading consistency.
Sandwich cake together using half of the icing.
Ice the top of the cake with remaining icing.

2. MADEIRA-STYLE LOAF

Make the same mixture as the basic sponge cake and bake in a 29 x 11 cm tin for 40 – 50 minutes.

3. CUPCAKES

With the same mixture as the basic sponge cake, you can make 18 cupcakes, which should be baked for 12 – 15 minutes.

4. LEMON or ORANGE LOAF

1 basic sponge cake (see above recipe)
15 ml (1 tbs) grated lemon or orange rind

Method:

Add 15 ml (1 tbs) grated lemon or orange rind to the cake batter.

Glacé Icing:

130 g (250 ml) Icing Sugar, sifted
20 ml (4 tsp) lemon or orange juice
hot water
lemon or orange zest to decorate

Method:

Combine the icing sugar, lemon or orange juice and enough hot water to make a smooth, runny icing.
Pour the icing over the cooled loaf.
Decorate with the lemon or orange zest.

5. STRAWBERRY CREAM CAKE

1 basic sponge cake (see above recipe)
125ml strawberry jam
250ml fresh cream
5ml vanilla essence
Castor Sugar, to taste
a mixture of fresh or frozen berries
Icing Sugar for dusting

Method:
Sandwich the cake layers with strawberry jam.
Also spread top of cake with the jam.
Beat the cream until stiff and flavour with vanilla essence and castor sugar to taste.
Spread cake generously with the beaten cream.
Wash and hull the berries (defrost if using frozen berries).
Decorate cake with berries.
Dust with sifted icing sugar just before serving.
Serve immediately.

6. CUSTARD CAKE

1 basic sponge cake (see above recipe)
500 ml milk
40 g (75 ml) custard powder
1 ml salt
125 g soft butter
210 g (250 ml) Castor Sugar
5 ml vanilla essence

Method:

Cut the two sponge cake layers horizontally in halve ending with 4 layers.
Heat 400 ml milk to boiling point.
Mix custard powder with remaining milk to form a smooth paste and stir into boiling milk.
Keep on stirring until the mixture thickens. Remove from stove and cover with cling wrap to prevent crust forming.
Leave to cool completely.
Beat the butter and castor sugar in food processor until light and creamy.
Add the vanilla essence and spoon in the thick custard, a little at a time, with the machine running constantly.
Spread a third of the custard mixture over the first sponge cake layer.
Repeat the process, ending with the last sponge cake layer topped with the custard filling.

7. SPONGE CAKE with LEMON FILLING

Lemon curd ingredients:

60 g butter or margarine
70 g (80 ml) Castor Sugar
2 extra-large eggs
60 ml lemon juice

Method:
Heat the butter and sugar together in a double cooker.
Beat the egg yolks and add to the mixture along with the lemon juice, beating continuously.
Continue stirring until the mixture begins to thicken.
Remove from stove plate and leave to cool.

Sponge ingredients:

1 basic sponge cake (see above recipe)
190 ml lemon curd
205 ml cream whipped
icing sugar to decorate

Method:

Cut the cake into two discs.
Spread the lemon curd over the bottom one and top with whipped cream.
Place the top layer back on top.
Dust with icing sugar.

Adapted from Basic Sponge Cake with Variations

Yield: 12 servings.
Ingredients:
5 eggs, separated
1 cup white sugar, divided
½ cup cake flour
¼ cup baking cocoa
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cream of tartar

MOCHA CREAM FILLING:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup castor sugar
1-½ teaspoons instant coffee granules

MOCHA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
⅓ cup butter, softened
⅓ cup baking cocoa
2 cups icing sugar
1-½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon brewed coffee
2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Method:
Line a swiss roll baking pan with parchment paper; grease the paper. Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high until light and fluffy. Gradually add ½ cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Combine flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to egg yolk mixture until blended.
Beat egg whites on medium until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Stir a fourth into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites until no streaks remain.
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake at 180°C/350°F for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back (do not overbake). Cool for 5 minutes; invert onto a linen towel dusted with castor sugar. Peel off parchment paper. Roll up in the towel, starting with a short side. Cool on a wire rack. In a bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and coffee granules. Beat until stiff peaks form; chill. Unroll cooled cake; spread filling to within ½ in. of edges. Roll up again. Place on serving platter; chill.
In a bowl, beat frosting ingredients until smooth. Frost cake. Using a fork, make lines resembling tree bark.

Fluffy sponge, sweet raspberry jam and smooth whipped cream – not only is this old faithful delicious, it’s a real stunner, too.

Ingredients
Cooking oil spray, to grease
3 eggs
½ cup caster sugar
2/3 cup self-raising flour
2 Tbsp boiling water

1/3 cup raspberry jam
300ml sweetened cream, whipped

Note: Allow 30 minutes standing time

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 32 x 24cm Swiss roll tin with cooking oil. Line with baking paper.
Put eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high, using whisk attachment, for 5 minutes or until thick and pale. Sift in flour and fold in until combined. Fold in boiling water until just combined (do not over-mix).
Spoon mixture into prepared tin and smooth surface. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden and dry to touch.
Put a double layer of plastic wrap slightly larger than tin on a clean dry surface. Invert sponge on top. Carefully remove paper.
While still hot, roll up sponge from 1 short side to the other, enclosing in plastic wrap as you roll. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool to room temperature.

Unroll cooled sponge onto a sheet of baking paper covered with sieved icing sugar. Spread over raspberry jam followed by the cream.
Re-roll sponge from 1 short side to the other, using plastic wrap to guide back into a roll. Put on a serving platter.
Serve immediately.

Lamington roll
Put 1½ cups icing sugar, 2 Tbsp Dutch cocoa, 20g butter and ¼ cup milk in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.
Stir for 4 minutes or until icing is smooth and runny.
Remove from heat and spoon over sponge roll, spreading to coat top and sides but leaving ends uncovered (you won’t need to use all of the chocolate icing).
Scatter over 1 cup shredded coconut, then set aside in a cool place for 30 minutes to allow topping to set.
Serve immediately.

1 lemon
200g castor sugar
250g self raising flour
pinch of salt
1 level teaspoon of baking powder
250 g softened unsalted butter
4 large eggs

for the syrup
150g castor sugar
juice of 1 lemon

1. Invite your friends for afternoon tea and instead of reaching for the packet of biscuits at the back of the cupboard preheat the oven to 160deg C.

2. Line an 18 cm round cake time with baking paper.

3. Zest and juice lemon. Pulverise the zest with sugar in the food processor.

4. Sift flour with salt and baking powder and add with butter and eggs to food processor. Process until smooth. Pour the mixture into prepared tin and then gently smooth the top and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

5. Just before the cake is cooked make syrup by mixing sugar with lemon juice in a small bowl.

6. Turn the hot cake out onto a serving dish, prick gently with a skewer on the top and spoon syrup over. Leave to cool.

1 tablespoon butter
2 eggs, well-beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 heaped cup self-raising flour (sifted)
almost 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon melted butter

Pre-heat oven to 180C/356F. Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs, milk, vanilla, salt and then the sifted flour. You end up with a mixture that looks a bit like the consistency of whipped cream. Whack mixture into a cake tin – round or square – and bake for 30 minutes. Whilst tea cake is still hot, brush melted butter across top of cake and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.