BUTTER CAKE

I have several recipes of Butter Cake but I found this one to be the best. It’s moist, buttery and soft. - its definitely a winner! Butter Cake is always my first choice when I have to make something for guests coming for tea!

Ingredients:

200 gm Butter  softened – (1 full cup)185 gm /5 oz Castor Sugar- (1 ½ cups full)
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
A pinch of Salt
6 Egg separated

½ tsp cream of tartar (optional)

1 tbsp Milk
165 gm/ 5 oz Flour – (2 level cups)
2 tsp Baking Powder

Method:

·         Preheat oven at 180^oC. Grease and line the 8" baking pan. ( For this recipe I sometimes use two pans- a loaf pan and a 6” square pan, so the cake lasts longer!!)

·         Sift together the flour and baking powder.

·         Beat the butter with a hand mixer till soft. Then add the sugar, salt and vanilla essence and beat until creamy and light.

·         Separate egg yolks from the whites and add in egg yolks, one at a time and beat after each addition.  Add in the milk and mix well.

·         Now fold in the sifted flour – a spoon at a time until well mixed.

·         Take a separate bowl, rinse in water and whisk the egg whites in it along with the cream of tartar ( this will help the whites to stay stiff and foamy- but this is optional - the cake will still be light).  Whisk till foamy and standing in peaks.

·         Very gradually fold this into the butter mixture, a little at a time.  Fold in very gently so as not to release all the bubbles.

·         Pour the batter into the baking pans and bake at 180^oC for about 40-45 mins or until cooked. (A skewer inserted in the middle of the cake should come out clean).

·        HAPPY BAKING!

(Tip: the yardstick for this cake is that the flour, sugar and butter all measure 5 ozs each, with a little extra butter to ensure its softness! - easy to remember)