As promised yesterday, today I am sharing my (very close) second favourite cake recipe with you. A little bit different to yesterday’s Chocoholic Choccie Cake but still every bit as good in its own right.
Today’s cake is a simple ‘Butter Cake’.
Personally I think this butter cake is delicious! It is denser than a sponge cake yet, lighter and fluffier than a meidra cake. It has a subtle buttery flavour which is (as it suggests) not over powering, allowing for fancy icing / decorating choices, if you so wish. And it makes a great option for kids parties due to its subtle flavour and light texture, I recently made one for Sebastian’s 2nd Birthday.
My good friend Maria from over at Pastels and Macarons recently used this recipe and made a Farmyard Cake for her son Locky’s 2nd Birthday. So what did she think of it…? “The flavour of this cake was amazing. I’m talking mouthwatering, I want more! amazing. Everyone at the party had nothing but good things to say about this cake.” So clearly I am not the only one who thinks it tastes good (unless she is just being super nice – haha…).
On this particular occasion (above), I went for a simple butter cream (using two colours) and let the decorating speak for itself. You could always flavour the butter cream with cocoa or chopped strawberries; top with lemon syrup while the cake is still warm for a lemon version; layer with fresh cream and strawberries; or even top with cream cheese icing. The options are endless, the only barrier is your imagination and of course what’s in your pantry.
Speaking of pantry, that’s another reason I love this cake.. everything is in your pantry already. No need to go out and buy any special ingredients, it is all there. Just simple butter, sugar, eggs, flour etc..
One thing to note.. The recipe instructions say to sift and fold the flour. If, I am totally honest with you, I miss out those steps. Life is too short. I leave it in the cake mixer on low and add it in slowly. To this day I haven’t had an issue and I am pretty sure if you were to put two cakes together one sifted and folded and the other not, well there’s nothing in it, personal preference.
- 150 grams butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups plain flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 cup milk, approximately
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius; Grease and line a 20 cm round baking tin
- Cream butter, vanilla and sugar together until light and fluffy
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each
- Sift flour and baking powder together; Fold into creamed mixture
- Add enough milk to give a 'soft dropping consistency'
- Pour into cake tin and bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until cake springs back
- Leave in tin for 10 or so minutes before turning out on to wire rack to cool
- Ice and decorate
Now that I have shared the recipes to my two favourite cakes, which one will you be trying? A simple butter cake or the Chocoholic Choccie Cake. What is your favourite cake?
rons says
Haha! IT WAS AMAZING!!! I was not being nice, just very honest!! 😉 haha. This cake looks gorgeous, the way you have decorated it with the flowers! I’m pinning the hell out of this gorgeous creation 🙂 xx
lydiaritchie says
Haha.. thanks hun 🙂
As for the decorating, its all in the nozzle xx
Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life says
Such a pretty cake! And if I’m honest I am more of a butter cake girl than a sponge cake girl too! There’s something more to bite into, and of course, a butter cake can hold more frosting 🙂
lydiaritchie says
Yes, yes, yes Any you have hit the nail right on the head. Butter Cake can definitely hold more icing (I knew there was another reason it was my favourite)!!!!! xx
Shadi says
Always great to have a simple delicious cake recipe on the hand because you never know when you’re gonna crave some cake 😀 Loved it!
lydiaritchie says
Haha.. yes Shadi.
I have had cake cravings a bit lately so this cake has been made just a couple of times 🙂 xx
Karin @ Calm to Conniption says
Butter cake is my favourite! Beautiful icing skills too. Thanks for linking up in The Ultimate Rabbit Hole.
lydiaritchie says
Thanks Karen, although I can not take the credit for the icing. It is all in the nozzle 🙂 xx
Lauren @ Create Bake tMake says
Butter cakes are one of my favourites too, I think it’s because I associate them with the birthday cakes my mum used to make when we were growing up. Thanks for linking up with us for Fabulous Foodie Fridays, have a great week 🙂
lydiaritchie says
Couldn’t agree with you more, birthdays are all about Butter Cakes 🙂
Thanks for hosting a great link up, see you next week xx
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom says
This cake looks so good and the way you decorated it is so pretty and makes it look even better! YUM!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
lydiaritchie says
Thanks Carrie, the benefits of a piping nozzle 🙂
It is pretty yum though, pity cause we have just finished off the last of it today 🙁
Thanks for stopping by xx
Hana says
That looks amazing! Do you have any tips for the way you did the icing? And which nozzle to use?
lydiaritchie says
Thanks Hana.
The icing is done using a Wilton 1M nozzle and is really quite easy… its just three circles from the centre outwards. I always practice on the kitchen bench a few times first 🙂
Good luck xx
Nikki Frank-Hamilton says
The cake itself sounds delicious! But I must also comment on the icing! Your roses are so pretty and it such a nice pale pink color. I am really impressed with your work. Your photography is stunning also. This was my first time here, your site is just gorgeous!!!
lydiaritchie says
Thanks Nikki.
It is so nice of you to say, photography is certainly my area of weakness so it is nice to hear when someone thinks I have got it right 🙂
I hope you’ll stick around and stay a while xx
Karen says
This looks amazing. I love your decorating too!
lydiaritchie says
It’s all in the nozzle – Wiltons 1M (I’m pretty sure) xx
Jenessa Mullen says
This is beautiful! I wish I had your talent. 🙂 Thanks for linking up at Turn It Up Tuesday.
lydiaritchie says
Aw, thank you. It really is in the piping nozzle though. Looks so effective doesn’t it 🙂 xx
Ms Bellini says
WOW! That is an amazing looking cake. I always start out with grand plans and then they hastily get revised to something simpler (easier lol). As for which cake I will be trying- I think it will have to be both 🙂
lydiaritchie says
Thanks Ms Bellini!
Sometimes the easier the better, this cake whilst it looks technical, is really quite easy and yummy too.
Glad you’ll be trying both, hope you enjoy them:-) xx
Erin @ Nourishing My Scholar says
This looks amazingly delicious!
lydiaritchie says
Thanks Erin!
It sure is pretty good 🙂 in fact this pregnant Mumma could so go for a piece right now – heheh!
Melissa {Suger} says
It’s beautiful! And it looks delicious. Pinning. Haha.
lydiaritchie says
Thanks 🙂 xx