I’ve been looking back at the recipes I’ve featured in Dartford Living and I’ve realised it’s been a long time since I shared my most baked, and most basic, recipe.
I love the idea that, once you learn this method, it will serve you well forever! I often find myself excitedly explaining and sharing the way I make cupcakes – and indeed larger Vanilla Sponge Cakes.
The basic idea is that you use the same weight of each ingredient – guided by the weight of eggs you are using. Each egg will make four cupcakes! If you’re looking to make a larger sponge cake, fill your cake tin with water and for each pint of water it holds, use one egg.
You will need:
Margarine – any baking margarine will be fine.
Eggs (1 Egg = 4 Cupcakes)
Caster Sugar
Self-Raising Flour
Vanilla Extract/Lemon Juice (optional)
For the Buttercream Icing
Butter
Icing Sugar
Vanilla Extract (optional)
What to do.
Weigh your Eggs (in their shells) and write this number down.
Weigh out the same amount of Self-Raising Flour and put aside. Weigh out the same amount of Margarine and Caster Sugar into a large bowl. Add a dash of Vanilla Extract or Lemon Juice if using.
Cream the margarine and sugar together until completely combined and pale/fluffy.
Mix in the Eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the Flour each time to help combine. Add the rest of the Flour and stir until just combined.
Divide mixture between cupcake cases and bake at 140C Fan (or 160C) for about 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin.
To make Buttercream, mix equal weight of Block Butter and Icing Sugar together until fluffy.
You can either spoon the buttercream on your cakes or pipe swirls. If you don’t have piping equipment you can use a simple sandwich bag.
Spoon the buttercream into the bag and twist to push the cream into a corner. Using scissors, cut the corner and use this as a piping bag to create swirls on your cakes.
Decorate with sprinkle or sweets of your choice.