Basic Cake Recipe

This is the basic cake recipe I use for most of my cakes. This will make one 7inch round or square cake.

Ingredients:

180g Stork (baking margarine, I find it works nicer than butter)

180g caster sugar

3 medium eggs (if they are too large or too small I will weigh them to make sure I have 180g)

180g self-raising flour.

If making a chocolate cake I omit 2 tbs of flour and add 2tbs of cocoa powder.

For the filling I use butter cream

50g Stork or unsalted butter

150g icing sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

Method:

First I cream the Stork and sugar with a wooden spoon.

Then I add the eggs, one at a time and beat them in with my spoon. I find doing it this way the mixture never curdles, but if it does you can always add a little flour.

Once all eggs are in I add the flour and mix slowly.

I use two 7 in cake tins and share the mixture between both.

I then put them in the centre of the oven at gas mark 6 (200 C) for 25 mins.

I always check they are cooked through with a skewer, it should come out clean.

I leave to cool for at least 10 minutes before turning out of the pans. Then I leave the cakes to cool completely before freezing.

I always freeze cakes,even if only for an hour. This makes them much more easier to trim and shape. Before freezing I cover them with cling film. They defrost pretty quickly once back at room temperature.

To make the filling I soften the butter (Again with my wooden spoon) and then add the sifted icing sugar. once mixed I add the the vanilla extract.

I often use buttercream to put a layer on the cake before icing. I think it tastes nicer than apricot jam.