Easy vanilla butter cake

This one bowl method is fantastic for busy bakers.

• Melted butter, to grease
• 450g (3 cups) self-raising flour
• 150g (1 cup) plain flour
• 440g (2 cups) caster sugar
• 300g butter, cubed, at room temperature
• 310ml (1 1/4 cups) milk
• 6 eggs, at room temperature
• 3 teaspoons vanilla essence

Energy 1891kJ	Fat saturated 12.00g
Fat Total 19.00g	Carbohydrate sugars 31.00g
Carbohydrate Total 60.00g	Dietary Fibre 2.00g
Protein 8.00g	Cholesterol 135.00mg
Sodium 370.02mg

All nutrition values are per serve.

1. Step 1

   Preheat oven to 140°C. Position a rack on the second lowest shelf of the oven. Brush a round 25cm (base measurement) cake pan with the melted butter to lightly grease (see Notes tab for instructions for other tin sizes). Line base and sides with non-stick baking paper.

2. Step 2

   Place the self-raising flour, plain flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla essence in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric beater to beat on low speed for 30 seconds or until just combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is thick and all the butter is incorporated. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.

3. Step 3

   Bake in preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack for 2 hours or until completely cool.

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Have the butter at room temperature, soft enough to beat, but not melted. The undecorated cakes will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Note that over-beating can cause this cake to crack.

VARIATIONS

Easy vanilla butter cake in other cake pans: For a round 20cm pan (serves 8-12), use half the cake quantity and bake at 180C for 1 hour 10 minutes; 25cm square (serves 20-25), bake at 140C for 2 hours; 80ml/ 1/3 cup capacity muffin pans, lined with patty papers, bake at 180C for 25 minutes then repeat with the remaining mixture in batches (makes about 50).

Rich chocolate cake: Reduce the self-raising flour to 300g (2 cups). Sift 95g (1 cup) cocoa powder and 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda, and add with the flours. Increase the milk to 435ml (1 3/4 cups). Omit the vanilla essence. When baking, use the following times: Round 25cm pan, 2 1/2 hours at 140C; 25cm square pan (serves 20-25) 2 hours at 140C; 80ml/ 1/3 cup muffin pans for cupcakes, bake at 180C for 25 minutes, the full recipe will make about 50. For a round 20cm tin (serves 8-12), use half the cake quantity and bake at 180C for 1 hour 10 minutes.

Orange cake: Reduce the milk to 185ml (3/4 cup) and add with 2 tbs finely grated orange rind and 125ml (1/2 cup) orange juice. Omit vanilla essence. For cooking temperatures and times for different cake pans, see rich chocolate cake above.

Carrot cake: Add 1 tsp ground cinnamon with the flours. Reduce the vanilla essence to 1 tsp. Add 285g (3 cups) coarsely grated carrot and 100g roughly chopped walnuts. When baking, use the following times: Round 25cm pan (serves 15-20), 2 hours 35 minutes at 140C; 25cm square pan (serves 20-25) 2 hours 10 minutes at 140; 80ml/ 1/3 cup muffin pans for cupcakes: bake at 180C for 25 minutes, the full recipe will make about 70. For a round 20cm tin (serves 8-12), use half the cake quantity and bake at 180C for 1 1/2 hours.

Banana cake: Sift 1 tsp bicarbonate soda and add with the flours. Reduce the milk to 125ml (1/2 cup). Add 390g (1 1/2 cups) mashed very ripe banana with the milk. Reduce the vanilla essence to 1 tsp. For cooking temperatures and times for different tins, see carrot cake above but note that the mixture will make about 60 cupcakes.