Back ‘two’ Butter Cake basics!
Basic Two-egg Butter Cake!
Everyone needs to know a simple Butter Cake recipe which they can whip up in a flash when unexpected houseguests call by! It is like the emergency cake recipe! One that you can fall back on when the going gets tough, but the tough don’t get going because it is so simple and non-stressful to use! Bake it for family! Bake it for friends! Bake it for neighbours! Bake it for the homeless people down the street! And most of all it really is one of THE most basic cakes to have ever been invented. Just Mix, Stir, Bake …30 minutes later… *ping!* and voila! Cake on the go!
Remember basic does not mean boring, dull or tasteless! Basic is classic! And in this case is also very versatile! A simple butter cake can be decorated in ten thousand different ways depending on the imagination of the individual, with the help of some icing and candy! You could even carve out the Ancient Pyramids out of butter cake if you really wanted to! The end result really is all up to you! Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating Butter cake as is! Sweet buttery cake goodness. So whip it up the next time the going gets tough!
Basic two-egg Butter Cake
Ingredients: 2 cups self-raising flour, pinch salt, 2 eggs separated,125g butter softened, 1 cup caster sugar, 1 tsp vanilla essence, ¾ cup milk
Steps: Preheat oven to moderate, 180 degrees Celsius. Sift the flour and salt onto paper. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks in a small bowl using an electric mixer at high speed. Then in a large bowl beat the softened butter and slowly add the sugar until fluffy.
Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla essence into the butter and sugar mixture. Then add the flour mixture a third at a time alternating with the milk. Beat until just combined. Fold in the beaten egg whites. Then pour into a 25cm greased round cake tin and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed with fingertips or when a skewer through the centre come out clean. Cool in tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool.
Tip! To prevent the cake from rising excessively in the centre (that is, causing the top surface not to be flat, forming that very domed shaped we have all come to know and love), before baking flatten the top surface with the rounded edge of a spoon and make a shallow dent in the centre. This compensates for when the cake rises and you should end up with a nice flat surface after baking!
Frosting Ideas: GO FROSTING CRAZY!
BUTTER CREAM FROSTING- Beat 60g softened butter in a small bowl using an electric mixer. Add 1 cup sifted icing sugar, 1 tbsp milk and 1 tsp vanilla essence. Beat until smooth.
CHOCOLATE CREAM FROSTING- Follow direction as above and add an additional 1 heaped tbsp cocoa powder.
BRANDY/RUM BUTTER FROSTING- Follow directions for Butter Cream Frosting but substitute 1 tbsp brandy/rum for the milk.
MOCHA BUTTER FROSTING- Follow directions for Butter Cream Frosting but substitute 2 tbsp coffee liqueur for the milk and add an additional 1 tbsp of instant coffee.
LEMON BUTTER FROSTING- Substitute 1 tbsp lemon juice for the milk in Butter Cream Frosting and add 2 tsp of finely grated lemon rind.
ORANGE BUTTER FROSTING- Substitute 1 tbsp orange juice for the milk in Butter Cream Frosting and add 2 tsp finely grated orange rind.
