Plain Cake Recipes

BASIC VANILLA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Whisk 3 cups flour, the baking powder and salt in a bowl until combined. Beat 2 sticks butter and the sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. (The mixture may look separated at this point.) Beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with flour, until just smooth.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired.

EASY PLAIN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
• Add sugar into melted butter, stir until sugar is melted and blended with butter. Beat in eggs. Stir in self-rising flour bit by bit until mixture is well blended. Stir in one of the optional ingredients, if desired, according to your own taste to add special flavor to your cake.
• Bake for 25 minutes in a preheated oven.

MY BEST VANILLA CAKE - STAYS MOIST 4 DAYS!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) for 20 minutes before starting the batter (Note 8). Place shelf in the middle of the oven.
• Grease 2 x 20cm / 8" cake pans with butter, then line with parchment / baking paper. (Note 9 more pan sizes) Best to use cake pan without loose base, if you can.
• Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Beat eggs for 30 seconds on speed 6 of a Stand Mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or hand beater.
• With the beater still going, pour the sugar in over 45 seconds.
• Then beat for 7 minutes on speed 8, or until tripled in volume and white.
• Heat Milk-Butter: While egg is beating, place butter and milk in a heatproof jug and microwave 2 minutes on high to melt butter (or use stove). Do not let milk bubble and boil (foam ok). Don't do this ahead and let the milk cool (this affects rise).
• Gently add flour: When the egg is whipped, scatter 1/3 flour across surface, then beat on Speed 1 for 5 seconds. Add half remaining flour, then mix on Speed 1 for 5 sec. Add remaining flour, then mix on Speed 1 for 5 - 10 sec until the flour is just mixed in. Once you can't see flour, stop straight away.
• Lighten hot milk with some Egg Batter: Pour hot milk, vanilla and oil into the now empty flour bowl. Add about 1 1/2 cups (2 ladles or so) of the Egg Batter into the Milk-Butter (don't need to be 100% accurate with amount). Use a whisk to mix until smooth - you can be vigorous here. Will look foamy.
• Slowly add milk: Turn beater back on Speed 1 then pour the Milk mixture into the Egg Batter over 15 seconds, then turn beater off.
• Scrape and final mix: Scrape down sides and base of bowl. Beat on Speed 1 for 10 seconds - batter should now be smooth and pourable.
• Pour batter into pans.
• Knock out bubbles: Bang each cake pan on the counter 3 times to knock out big bubbles (Note 10 for why)
• Bake 30 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean.
• Remove from oven. Cool in cake pans for 15 minutes, then gently turn out onto cooling racks. If using as layer cakes, cool upside down - slight dome will flatten perfectly. Level cake = neat layers.
• Frost with frosting of choice, or cream and fresh berries or jam. See list of ideas in post!
• Beat butter with paddle attachment in stand mixer for 3 minutes on high until it changes from yellow to almost white, and it becomes fluffy and creamy.
• Add icing sugar / powdered sugar gradually in 3 lots, beating slowly (to avoid a powder storm) then once mostly incorporated, beat on high for a full 3 minutes until fluffy.
• Add vanilla and milk, then beat for a further 30 seconds. Use milk only if needed to make it lovely and soft but still holds it's form (eg for piping). Use immediately. (If you make ahead, refrigerate then beat to re-fluff).

BARBADIAN PLAIN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour one 9 or 10 inch bundt pan.
• By hand with a spatula cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs all at once and beat well.
• Sift the flour and the baking powder together. Add to butter mixture along with 1 cup of the milk. Continue to beat well (the batter will be doughy). Add the remaining 1 cup of milk along with the vanilla, and almond extracts. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 1 hour. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking for 15 minutes longer.

PLAIN POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs, 1 at a time.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes. Take them out of the pans, place them on a baking rack and allow them to cool completely. Wrap well, and store in the refrigerator.

PLAIN CAKE JAMAICAN STYLE

Steps:

• Grease 8-inch round baking tin and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs folding into mixture until blended.
• Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl and fold one or two times.
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and fold.
• Add water and vanilla then continue to fold (be careful not to over fold, you just want to fold enough to rub out dry ingredients).
• Bake in oven set at 350°F Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until when tested with toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool before attempting to remove.

PLAIN CAKE

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together until well blended.
• Bake for 15-20 mins on medium heat.
• Serve with jam.

PLAIN CAKE

Steps:

• Cream butter & sugar until light and fluffy
• Beat eggs, then add to mixed sugar & butter gradually while beating
• Pour 1\3 of the flour and mix in well
• Pour in 1\2 milk and mix well
• Now alternate between flour and milk until ingredients are blended in. (Always end rotation in flour)