Library Monitor's Book Cafe

Sponge Cake

Its hard to beat a good sponge cake I think. Very easy to make and tremendously versatile - why not try one of the variations as well.

Ingredients

4oz/125g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
4oz/125g caster sugar
4oz/125g butter or soft margarine
2 eggs (beaten)*

Oven: Gas 4 or 180c

Method
Beat together the sugar and butter until smooth. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour and egg to the butter/sugar mix gradually, beating all the time until the mixture is light and smooth. If you have a mixer you can just set it going and add your ingredients gradually as you go. Add any flavourings.

Pour the mix into a baking tin and bake until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Once your cake has cooled top it with your favourite frosting - I like to use whipped cream and strawberries...Mmmm

*Tip: If you beat the eggs just before you add them to the mix it will help your cake be even lighter!

Variations
It's so easy to vary a sponge cake - why not try one of these alternatives...

Citrus: Add 2 tsp of finely grated orange, lemon or lime zest to the mixture.
Chocolate: Add 3 tsp of cocoa blended with 1tbsp of boiling water to the mix.
Coffee: Add 2 tsp of strong coffee to the mix.

Sticky Date and Apricot Cake

Since this is the first cake of the week, lets start as we mean to go on with a very tasty cake.

This cake takes a little while to prepare but is well worth the effort - I've never made it without getting lots of compliments! It keeps really well and is perfect hot with cream or custard for a yummy winter pud, or cold with your coffee and book... Enjoy!

Ingredients
6oz dried dates (stoned)
6oz dried apricots
4oz butter
14oz can condensed milk
Finely grated rind and juice of one orange (made up to 1/2 pint with water)
8oz plain flour
1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 level tsp salt
1 level tbsp porridge oats
1 level tbsp demerara sugar

Oven: Gas 3 or 325F/160C

Method
Chop your dates and apricots and place in a pan with the butter, condensed milk and orange juice. Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring all the time. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for around 5 minutes. Allow the melted mix to cool, you don't need to let it go cold.

Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and the salt. Pour in the melted mixture and mix the whole lot together before pouring into a greased 8in round tin. Sprinkle with the oats and demerara sugar and bake until a skewer inserted comes out clean - around 1 hour 15 minutes.

Tip: Buying prechopped dates will save you a lot of time.

If you have a favorite cake recipe, why not share it with everyone? Submit recipes for Cake of the Week using the 'contact me' link above.

Happy baking!