School Cake
The original School Cake - a simple sponge cake, topped with a thick layer of white icing and a generous amount of rainbow sprinkles. Best served with custard (pink or otherwise!).
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Servings: 12
INGREDIENTS
- 280 g Soft Margarine (or Butter) (softened)
- 280 g Caster Sugar
- 5 Free-range Eggs (at room temperature; see Egg Size notes below)
- 280 g Self-raising Flour (see Self-raising Flour note below)
- 350 g Icing Sugar
- 3-4 tbsp Boiling Water
- Sprinkles (to decorate - optional)
EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pre-heat your oven to 180°c (160°c for fan-assisted ovens, Gas Mark 4 or 350°F) and a 9x12 inch baking tin with greaseproof paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is mixed through before adding the next.
- Sift in the flour and gently fold to create a batter.
- Transfer the batter to your pre-lined tin and bake in your pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes until risen, golden, and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once your cake has cooled completely, mix the icing sugar with a few teaspoons of boiling water in a bowl, adding a little water at a time until you have a thick pouring consistency. Pour the icing onto your cake, using a spoon to guide it to the edges. Finish with some rainbow sprinkles.
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IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won't always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
NOTES
Egg Size:
When it comes to eggs, I always buy mixed-weight free-range eggs. Generally speaking, egg size doesn’t make a huge difference in most baking, unless you are using sizes that lean towards the extremes. If you're unsure which eggs to use, I recommend medium eggs in the UK, which are roughly equivalent to large eggs in the US. That's what this recipe has been tested with.Self-raising Flour:
Don't have self-raising flour? For this recipe, simply whisk together 280g (2¼ cups) plain flour and 3¾ teaspoons baking powder instead. If you bake regularly, you can also make a larger batch to keep in your baking cupboard. For full instructions, cup conversions and answers to common questions, see my Self-raising Flour Ingredient Guide.Substitutions:
- Margarine: I use a soft baking margarine in most of my sponge cakes because I find it easier & more predictable to use, while always giving a light, moist crumb to your cake. You can swap this out for butter if you prefer, but make sure you use a soft butter for the best results.
- Caster Sugar: When it comes to sponge cakes, caster sugar is preferable as the finer consistency is ideal for mixing through the batter. In a pinch, you could swap it for granulated sugar. For more information, see my Caster Sugar Ingredient Guide.
Storage:
Store your old School Cake in an airtight container at room temperature. It’ll keep well for up to 4-5 days, if it lasts that long!Freezing:
You can freeze the sponge, but this is best done before adding the icing and sprinkles. Wrap the cake tightly in cling film and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature, then finish with the icing and sprinkles before serving.Serving:
For full school-dinner nostalgia, serve with a drizzle of custard (pink or otherwise!).Tried this recipe?
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