ALL-PURPOSE EASY BUTTER CAKE

 Perfect for birthday cakes or cupcakes, and can be halved easily. Simple to flavour: replace the milk with orange juice for a citrus cake, add finely grated zest, or chocolate chips, or dried fruit in with the milk.

 Less than 15 min preparation time

25 to 50 min cooking time

Makes one 20cm round birthday cake or about 12 large cupcakes

 

1. Line the base of a deep 20cm-diameter cake tin with non-stick baking paper and heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4.

 

2. Melt the butter, pour into a bowl with the sugar, oil, arrowroot and vanilla. Beat well till smooth then whisk in the eggs one at a time followed by the milk and cream.

 

3. Sift and beat the flour and baking powder into the butter mixture in batches until smooth then spoon into the tin and bake for about 50 minutes.

 

For cupcakes fill the papers about 3/4 full, then bake for about 20-25 minutes. 

 

TWO-STEP BUTTERCREAM

 A firm butter-rich cream that’s easy to decorate with and pipe. The baking margarine help the mixture to cream well without splitting and holds it firmer at room temperature than if all butter is used. 

Less than 15 min preparation time

Enough to layer and cover one 20cm round birthday cake

 

Step 1

 

Step 2

1. Mix the icing sugar, glucose, condensed milk, flavouring and butter with an electric mixer until smooth and light then beat in the baking margarine until smooth.

 

2. In a jug stir the icing sugar into the cream until dissolved then add any colouring you want, or just leave it plain. Beat this gradually into the butter mixture until light and fluffy. Keeps very well covered at room temperature for 2-3 days and can be warmed slightly and re-beaten if the texture is too firm.