Recipe by: Grace Stevens
No birthday would be complete without a birthday cake and Grace spoiled herself and her family with her irresistibly delicate, light, and fluffy vanilla bean sponge cake.
Nothing says I love you like a beautifully decorated cake and you can give your cake a touch of simple splendor with some buttercream icing and any sweets and treats that you have in the house. Most importantly do not forget to get creative with the candles!
With these recipes, a fantastic playlist, some homemade birthday cards packed with love, a glass of something glorious, and virtually ’Zoomed in’ loved ones, you will be all set for a fabulous birthday feast.
- 3 jumbo eggs
- 250ml castor sugar
- 250 ml of milk
- 125 g butter, at room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 260g cake flour
- 15 ml baking powder
- Preheat oven to 180 ⁰C. Line two 20 cm round cake tins with baking paper (or 24 muffin tins with cupcake wrappers)
- Beat the eggs and sugar in a stand mixer on high for at least 10 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Heat the milk, butter and vanilla extract in a saucepan until the butter melts. Do not boil the milk.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl at least three times.
- Turn mixer to low. Beginning and ending with the flour, pour the milk mixture slowly into the bowl while spooning the flour in one tablespoon at a time. Do this part as quickly as possible to avoid over-mixing your batter.
- Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 22 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean.
Cupcakes: bake for 12 minutes
- Turn the cakes out of the tins and cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before wrapping in cling film.
Double this recipe to bake 3 20cm round tins or 5 15cm round tins.
Coffee & Walnut Cake:
Replace the milk with coffee
Add 60g finely chopped walnuts
Chocolate Sponge:
230g flour
30g cocoa
Lemon Sponge:
Replace Vanilla bean with zest of a large lemon
