Butter Cake (plus variants)

Ingredients (serves 12)

• 250g butter, softened
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
• 2/3 cup milk
• icing sugar mixture, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease and line an 8cm-deep, 19cm (base) square cake pan with baking paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream butter, caster sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating to combine. Add half the flour. Stir to combine. Add half the milk. Stir to combine. Repeat with remaining flour and milk.
4. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar. Serve.

Ingredients

• 250g butter, softened
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• Butter icing, to decorate
• Strawberry jam, to decorate
• White icing flours, to decorate

Method

1. Before starting, make sure all ingredients – eggs, milk and butter – are at room temperature. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line the base of two 20cm round cake pans.
2. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add the flour and milk, alternating, in batches, until just combined. Divide mixture evenly among the prepared pans and use the back of a spoon or small palate knife to smooth the surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centres comes out clean.
4. Remove from oven and cool in pan for about five minutes before turning on to a wire rack to cool completely. Place one cake on a serving platter. Spread with icing and jam, if desired. Top with remaining cake and decorate with more icing and icing flowers.

Ingredients (serves 15)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 250g butter, chopped, at room temperature
• 315g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 190g (1 1/4 cups) self-raising flour, sifted
• 190g (1 1/4 cups) plain flour, sifted
• 185ml (3/4 cup) milk

• Butter cream icing

• 250g butter, at room temperature
• 380g (2 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture
• 60ml (1/4 cup) milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place an oven shelf in the second lowest position. Brush a 3.5cm-deep rectangular, 24 x 30cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and sides of the pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. Use an electric beater to beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Use a large metal spoon to fold the combined flour and the milk into the butter mixture until well combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.
3. Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool slightly before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make the butter cream icing, use an electric beater to beat the butter until pale and creamy. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until well combined. Gradually add the milk and beat until light and fluffy.
5. Spread icing over the cake to serve.

Notes

• 
  
  

  Variations

  Chocolate cake: Reduce the plain flour to 150g (1 cup) plain flour. Add 30g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder to the flour in step 2. Banana cake: Reduce the milk to 125ml (1/2 cup) milk. Add 195g (1 cup) mashed overripe banana when adding the milk in step 2. Marble cake: Divide the cake mixture between 3 separate bowls. Add 1/4-1/2 tsp pink food colouring to one bowl and stir until well combined. Add 1 tbs cocoa powder to another bowl and stir until well combined. Place alternate spoonfuls of the 3 mixtures into the prepared pan. Use a skewer or knife to gently swirl to create a marble effect.

Ingredients (serves 15)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 250g butter, chopped, at room temperature
• 315g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 190g (1 1/4 cups) self-raising flour, sifted
• 190g (1 1/4 cups) plain flour, sifted
• 185ml (3/4 cup) milk

• Butter cream icing

• 250g butter, at room temperature
• 380g (2 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture
• 60ml (1/4 cup) milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place an oven shelf in the second lowest position. Brush a 3.5cm-deep rectangular, 24 x 30cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and sides of the pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. Use an electric beater to beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Use a large metal spoon to fold the combined flour and the milk into the butter mixture until well combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.
3. Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool slightly before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make the butter cream icing, use an electric beater to beat the butter until pale and creamy. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until well combined. Gradually add the milk and beat until light and fluffy.
5. Spread icing over the cake to serve.

Notes

• 
  
  

  Variations

  Chocolate cake: Reduce the plain flour to 150g (1 cup) plain flour. Add 30g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder to the flour in step 2. Banana cake: Reduce the milk to 125ml (1/2 cup) milk. Add 195g (1 cup) mashed overripe banana when adding the milk in step 2. Marble cake: Divide the cake mixture between 3 separate bowls. Add 1/4-1/2 tsp pink food colouring to one bowl and stir until well combined. Add 1 tbs cocoa powder to another bowl and stir until well combined. Place alternate spoonfuls of the 3 mixtures into the prepared pan. Use a skewer or knife to gently swirl to create a marble effect.

Ingredients (serves 12)

• 250g butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 3/4 cup plain flour, sifted
• 3/4 cup milk

• Lemon frosting

• 125g butter, softened
• 1 cup icing sugar mixture, sifted
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 7cm-deep, 20cm (base) square cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang on all sides.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy (see Cooking class, below). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add half the flours. Stir to combine. Add half the milk. Stir to combine. Repeat with remaining flour and milk.
3. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Smooth top. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into centre of cake comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Make lemon frosting Using an electric mixer beat butter, icing sugar, lemon rind and lemon juice together until pale and fluffy.
5. Spread cake with lemon frosting. Serve.

Notes

• 
  Cooking class: Creaming butter and sugar: Beating butter and sugar together (creaming) gives a light texture and greater volume to your baking. Butter should be at room temperature before beating. Beat butter with sugar for 5 to 6 minutes or until pale in colour and fluffy in texture. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula after 4 minutes to ensure all the sugar is completely incorporated.

Ingredients

• Light olive oil spray
• 200g butter, at room temperature
• 155g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 3 eggs
• 60ml (1/4 cup) fresh orange juice
• 65g (1/4 cup) sour cream
• 250g (1 2/3 cups) self-raising flour
• 40g (1/4 cup) plain flour

• Orange icing

• 60g butter, at room temperature
• 80g (1/2 cup) pure icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp finely grated orange rind
• 2 tsp fresh orange juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray a 28 x 30cm rectangular cake pan with oil. Line base and 2 long sides with non-stick baking paper.
2. Use an electric beater to beat the butter and caster sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Use a large metal spoon to fold in orange juice, sour cream and combined flour, in alternating batches, until just combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make the orange icing, use a clean electric beater to beat the butter until soft. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until pale and creamy. Add the orange rind and orange juice and beat until just combined.
5. Spread the icing over the cake and cut into pieces.