If you’ve been following the last few posts you will have seen the beginning of my journey into sweet baking. I started out simply, mainly to build confidence, but now was the time to bake my first “real” cake! Now I had to choose which one to tackle. I decided to start with the Victoria sponge as it is a relatively simple cake and a good foundation for the future. Here is the recipe I used to bake my first cake:
225g butter (softened)
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
225g self-raising flour (sifted)
1tsp vanilla extract
200g double cream
Raspberry jam
Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Next add the eggs 1 at a time , mixing each one in. Then add the vanilla extract and finally mix in the flour. Add a little milk if the mix is too stiff. divide between 2 well-greased 20cm cake tins and bake in a preheated oven at 1600C for 20-25 mins. Place the cake on a cooling rack and leave to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tins and leave to cool completely.
Whip the cream to soft peaks and spread over 1 layer whilst spreading a generous amount of jam on the other. Place together and give it a light dusting of icing flour and tuck in.
Well all I can say is, wow!!! This cake was so light and was absolutely gorgeous. My wife was gobsmacked. “How did you manage to get it so perfect first time?” she asked. “My cakes never turn out like that!
Perhaps it was beginners luck so next week I baked it again, replacing the fresh cream with buttercream – great results again so if I can do it you can too. I think the secret is in the eggs as my wife said that it seemed to be quite a lot of eggs – I have since spoke to a friend whose wife is an expert baker and she agreed. She said that to make great light cakes always add 1 more egg than the recipe asks for.
Try this recipe and let me know how you get on. You will not be disappointed.
Pingback: Chocolate cake – yummy!!! | Dalys bread