Vanilla cake
- Prepare
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Makes about 12 large cupcakes or one 22cm/9in round birthday cake
This easy vanilla cake is perfect for birthday cakes or cupcakes, and can be halved easily.
By Dan Lepard
Ingredients
- butter: 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
- brown sugar: 250g/9oz caster or brown sugar
- sunflower oil: 50ml/2fl oz sunflower oil
- : 25g/1oz arrowroot, cornflour or cocoa
- vanilla extract: 2 tsp vanilla extract
- eggs: 4 medium free-range eggs
- milk: 80ml/2½fl oz milk
- double cream: 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
- plain flour: 300²µ/10½´Ç³ú plain flour
- baking powder: 3 tsp baking powder
Method
Line the base of a deep 20cm/9in square cake tin with non-stick paper and preheat the oven to180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
Melt the butter over a low heat in a small pan, pour it into a bowl with the sugar, oil, cornflour (or arrowroot or cocoa) and vanilla. Beat well until smooth, then whisk in the eggs followed by the milk and cream.
Sift and beat the flour and baking powder into the butter mixture in batches until smooth, then spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes (for a large cake). Keep a careful eye toward the end of the cooking time, and cover with foil if the cake is getting too dark. For cupcakes, fill the papers about three-quarters full then bake for about 20-25 minutes.
Recipe tips
To vary the flavour, replace the milk with orange juice for a citrus cake; or add finely grated zest, chocolate chips or dried fruit in with the milk.
