Butter Cake With Variations Recipe

"I have been baking this cake for over 30 years. I quite often double the recipe and make two cakes. Slice it when cold, wrap well and freeze - DH helps himself to take for morning/afternoon tea. This originates from Margaret Fulton's cookbook. In the original recipe the batter was divided between 2 x 8 inch round greased cake tins and baked for 20 to 25 minutes. Once cooled suggested that whipped cream was put between layers and then cake frosted. I've posted the variations in the directions section. The DD for Christmas '08 gave me Margaret Fultons 1968 revised edition (my original was rather dog eared and stained), so updates are posted below as now in brackets."

Original is 8-12 servings

Metric US

I've Tried It

Ingredients

Add to Shopping List

4 ounces butter (125 grams)
4 1/2 ounces caster sugar (3/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (essence)
2 large eggs

8 ounces self raising flour (2 cups)
1/8 teaspoon salt (a pinch)
1/2 cup milk (I use a low fat)

Nutritional

Serving Size: 1 (94.3 g)
Calories 317.6
Total Fat - 15.3 g
Saturated Fat - 8.9 g
Cholesterol - 87.4 mg
Sodium - 186.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate - 41.3 g
Dietary Fiber - 3.2 g
Sugars - 19.7 g
Protein - 6.3 g
Calcium - 39.7 mg
Iron - 1.3 mg
Vitamin C - 0 mg
Thiamin - 0.2 mg

Step by Step Method

Step 1

Grease a loaf tin.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 175°C.

Step 3

Sift flour and salt 3 times.

Step 4

In a mixing bowl cream butter and castor sugar with vanilla essence until mixture is white, light and fluffy.

Step 5

Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each.

Step 6

Fold sifted flour into creamed mixture alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour.

Step 7

When mixture is smooth, pour into prepared tin.

Step 8

Lightly smooth top and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a fine skewer will come out clean.

Step 9

Cool cake on few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Step 10

VARIATIONS.

Step 11

Lemon Cake - add the grated rind of 1 lemon and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, omit the vanilla essence.

Step 12

Orange Cake - add the grated rind of 1 orange and 2 teaspoons of orange juice, omit the vanilla essence.

Step 13

Sultana Cake - add 4 to 6 ounces of sultanas and 1 teaspoon of spice. (now 3/4 cup sultanas and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or mixed spice).

Step 14

Seed Cake - add 1 tablespoon caraway seeds to mixture and sprinkle extra teaspoon of seeds on top before baking.

Step 15

Spice Cake - sift 1 teaspoon spice with flour, add 4 ounces chopped dates or chopped walnuts to mixture. (now sift 1 teaspoon spice - ground ginger, cinnamon, cardamom or mixed spice with the flour and add 3/4 cup chopped dates or walnuts to the mixture).

Step 16

Chocolate Cake - add 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, dissolved in a little milk. (now - add 60 grams melted dark chocolate to creamed mixture, before the flour) or add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to flour when sifting.