Everyone should have a simple, but works every time sponge recipe in their repertoire, something that you can knock up in seconds and can adapt.

 
My recipe comes from a cookery book that I have had for over 22 years, pages have now fallen out, there is no index, no cover and it is so very dated, but my Mum gave me this cookery book even before I left home, she brought it from the milkman and its called “The Dairy Book of Family Cookery” ! So I suppose this was my first step towards becoming a domestic goddess !
 
Yesterday when Luca came out of school, he wasn’t his normal sunny self, he didn’t want to go to the park, as we do every afternoon because his best friend wasn’t going and he wanted to go straight home. So to cheer him up I made him the above cake. It was just going to be a simple sponge, drizzled with icing and covered in sprinkles and glitter, but I had strawberries growing in the garden and cream to use up in the fridge and as they say, the rest is history.
 
This recipe is in fact titled a Victoria Sandwich Cake in the book and I have made it that way many times, but as I said it is so very adaptable, you can make it chocolate, coffee, orange/lemon, as a Victoria Sponge, in a ring like above, what every takes your fancy really. Oh and don’t forget, fairy cakes, cup cakes and butterfly cakes.
 
Dessert or cake, you decide !!!!
 
Boun appetito.
175g English butter
175g caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
175g self-raising flour
30ml jam (flavour of your choice, but strawberry or raspberry is more traditional)
caster sugar to dredge
 
Butter two 7 inch sandwich tins and line the base of each with a round of buttered greaseproof paper.
 
Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in half the flour, using a metal spoon, then fold in the rest.
 
I always sieve the flour and I must admit that I don’t fold the flour in, I just gentle mix it in using the Artisan.
 
Place half the mixture into each tin and level gently with a spatula or knife.
 
Bake in a preheated oven at 190c, 375f, gas 5 for about 20 minutes, until they are well risen, lightly golden and coming away from the sides. This will depend obviously on what kind of tin you are using, or if you are making fairy cakes. Just keep an eye on it.
 
A good test is, if you touch the sponge gently it should bounce bake.
 
Turn out and cool on a wire rack.
 
Once cool and if you are making a Victorial Sponge, sandwich the two halves together with a layer of jam and sprinkle the top with caster sugar.
 
You are now ready for afternoon tea, so invite the girls round and get that kettle on.
 
Variations :
The sponge pictured was made as above, but just baked in a ring mould, filled with fresh cream whipped with a little icing sugar to sweeten and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence and just topped with fresh strawberries. Quick, simple, dessert made for dinner.
 
Add the finely grated rind of one orange or lemon to the mixture. Sandwich the cakes together with orange or lemon butter frosting and use some juice from the fruit to make a glace icing.
 
A fun idea would to make the ring mould sponge, drizzle with glace icing, cover in glitter and sprinkles and fill the centre of the cake with dolly mixtures, the kids would love it.
 
I could go on, but I know you will all come up with your own lovely creations.