The art of the perfect sponge: recipes for the best cakes for beginners

Look no further for the perfect coffee cake, lemon drizzle, carrot and walnut, old fashioned jam and cream and chocolate sponge cake recipes

Easy baking recipes for sweet treats in a hurry. 

Victoria sponge

recipe by:Darina Allen

This buttery sponge, the best you’ll ever taste, is still my favourite to serve with afternoon tea. It keeps brilliantly and it’s even more delicious if you add some softly-whipped cream and fresh raspberries, in season, as well as the jam

Servings

10

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 35 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 125g butter

• 175g caster sugar

• 3 eggs

• 175g flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tbsp milk

• For the filling:

• 110g homemade raspberry jam

• 300ml whipped cream

• caster sugar, to sprinkle

• 2 x 7 inch (18cm) sponge cake tins

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease the tin with melted butter, dust with flour and line the base of each with a round of greaseproof paper.

2. Cream the butter and gradually add the caster sugar, beat until soft and light and quite pale in colour.

3. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well between each addition.

4. Sieve the flour and baking powder and stir in gradually. Mix all together lightly and add the milk to moisten.

5. Divide the mixture evenly between the 2 tins, hollowing it slightly in the centre. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked — the cake will shrink in slightly from the edge of the tin when it is cooked, the centre should feel exactly the same texture as the edge. Alternatively, a skewer should come out clean when put into the centre of the cake. Turn out onto a wire tray and allow to cool.

6. Sandwich the two bases together with homemade raspberry jam and whipped cream. Sprinkle with sieved caster sugar. 

Lazy Person's Chocolate Cake

A chocolate cake, with very little effort

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 35 mins

Cooking Time

 35 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 10 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• For the wet cake mix:

• 175ml olive oil, not overly strong, plus extra for the tins

• 2 eggs

• 175ml buttermilk

• 170ml boiling water

• 5g/1tsp instant coffee

• For the dry cake mix:

• 125g caster sugar

• 125g light brown sugar

• 80g cocoa powder

• 230g plain flour

• 5g/1tsp sea salt flakes

• 10g/2tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 5g/1tsp baking powder

• For the malt chocolate ganache:

• 150g 70 percent cocoa solids chocolate, chopped

• 50g 55 percent cocoa solids chocolate, chopped

• Pinch of sea salt flakes

• 300g double cream

• 1tbsp malt extract (alternatively use black treacle, maple syrup or honey)

Method

1. I want to blaze through this recipe as quick as you, so here we go! Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C/gas mark 4. Grease two 20cm cake tins with oil, then line with baking paper.

2. Weigh all the dry cake mix ingredients into a large bowl and stir together with a whisk to fully combine. (If the sugar is lumpy, you will have to sift it.)

3. Weigh all the wet cake mix ingredients, except the water and coffee, into a large bowl and whisk together. Make the coffee in a cup with the measured boiling water and instant coffee, pour it into the wet ingredients bowl and stir well.

4. Add the dry mix to the wet mix and stir well with a whisk to combine. Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins (if you want to be precise, you can weigh the total batter, then divide it exactly in half). Bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

5.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes before flipping onto a wire rack (allow to cool fully before adding the ganache you’re about to make).

6. To make the ganache, put both the chocolates and the salt in a large heatproof bowl.

7. In a saucepan, heat the cream with the malt extract until steaming, but not boiling.

8. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and leave for one minute. Use a whisk to stir the ganache from the middle outwards – so as not to whisk in any air – until silky and beautiful. Let the ganache sit for 10 minutes.

9. Take a large plate with a lip. Place a cooled cake on the plate and spoon over enough ganache to cover the top. Don’t worry if it spills over the edges, we kind of want this. Place the next cake on top. Pour the remaining ganache all over the top, without a care in the world. Use a spoon to guide it over, making sure plenty of ganache is falling down the sides. Put the cake in the fridge for 20–30 minutes.

10. Remove the cake from the fridge and, using a small offset palette knife, scoop up the set ganache from the edges of the plate and spread over the sides to create a smooth finish. It really is that easy and effortless. You’ll have your friends thinking you really care…

11. This cake keeps best in an airtight container at room temperature for three days. If storing in the fridge, allow to come to room temp before eating – it’ll be much nicer! I recommend warming up a slice in the microwave for 20 seconds and pouring cold cream all over it.
    
    From Sugar, I Love You: Knockout recipes to celebrate the sweeter things in life by Ravneet Gill is published by Pavilion Books