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The Basic Formula for a Simple Cake

Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Course: Dessert
Keyword: cake recipe, chocolate, chocolate cake, easy recipe, sponge cake

Equipment

  • cake tin
  • parchment paper

Ingredients

  • 4 (or any multiple of 2) oz butter Coconut oil or vegan butter can be used in the same amount
  • 4 oz sugar this can be honey, maple, sucanat, coconut sugar or any sugar option. A coconut sugar will give a wonderful deep flavour to a vanilla cake.
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 oz flour This can be self raising brown or white flour, plain white or brown flour, oat flour or a gluten free 1:1 substitute flour. If you want a chocolate cake you can sub 1/4 of the flour measurement for cocoa. For a more fudgy chocolate cake sub up to another 1/4 for ground almonds. To keep it simple for kids to remember use self raising flour so there's no baking powder to remember.
  • 1 1/3 tsp baking powder Omit if you are using self raising flour
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional) If it's a vanilla cake, go on the higher end!

Instructions

  • "Cream" together the butter and sugar ingredients - that means just mix with a fork until well combined. Depending on what you're using this will give different end results but just get it well mixed.
  • Beat in the eggs one by one, mixing with a fork until well combined.
  • Add the vanilla and mix it in.
  • Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold them in with a spoon until evenly combined.
  • Prep a 6" cake tin, with parchment paper on the bottom and sides and fill with batter. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon. (You can use a 7-8" pan and reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes.)
  • Place in a 340F/170C oven for 20-25 minutes.
  • Remove when the cake is just springy to the touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  • Turn the cake out onto a wire cooking rack and leave until fully cool before icing.

Notes

Tip: For only a few slices of a layered cake make one round and cut it into 3 or 4 pieces then stack them and cut it into 3 or 4 layered slices to serve without making a full cake!