Topic: I NEED HELP

[rosebud]

 I have been married over 50yrs my husband has NEVER had a decent sponge cake in all that time . I tried yet again on friday it was the usual frizzbe. :'(
Now i can make fruit cakes, i make wedding fruit cake Christmas cakes occasional cakes so why cant i make a bl**ding sponge cake? :'(

There must be someone out there that can tell me whats wrong.

I even tried Delias recipe no good :o :o oven is good bakes everything else lovely. Yorkshire puds come up like mountains so cannot be the oven.
 I just have to make just one decent sponge.
     HELP.

[luckycharlie]

   Right this is an easy one!!

     
       Heat oven 220 electric  .

       Mix 6 oz Stork

       6 oz  castor sugar

     Now really mix with a wooden spoon until your arm aches!! and the mixture is creamy. 

     Add 3 eggs (these need to be  whisked with a fork first) a little at at a time

    Then add 6 oz SR Flour slowly only don't beat but fold your mixture so that you keep the air in.

    Now divide between two sandwich  tins place in oven and there you are  sorry not sure how long they take I usually tell by the smell!!! but I would think about 12-15 mins

   Hope that helps!!

X Chas

   

[goodlife]

Simplest spunge I've learn to make is very light and ideal eaten as 'sandwich' with jam/berries and cream...mmm  ;D
Recipe;
Take 3 glasses..measure equal amount to each glass of plain flour, eggs and sugar.
Whisk the eggs and sugar in bowl into 'foam' and then fold in the flours with added 1/2 tsp of baking powder.
Pour it into lined tin and bake it in moderately hot oven until the 'centre is cooked' ..tested with with wooden toothpick and when the cake is pricked the toothpick comes out of cake 'clean'..no uncooked dough sticking.

[Squash64]

Try this -

for an average size sponge

Weigh 4 eggs IN GRAMS, IN THEIR SHELLS
Then weigh exactly the same amount (in grams) of

Flour - I only use McDougalls Supreme Sponge Premium self raising
soft margarine
caster sugar.

If you are using an electric mixer, just chuck all the ingredients
into a bowl and mix together until it is a nice light colour.  I don't
think it is possible to 'over-mix'.

I've never made a bad sponge using this method but it is very important to weigh in grams.

Good luck with whichever way you choose!

[Yorkshire Lass]

I make Victoria Sponges to sell at the Country Market every week. I use this recipe and it never fails or hasn't done yet!

6oz margarine
6oz caster sugar
6oz SR Flour
3 eggs

Cream marg and sugar until light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time and beat well. Fold in flour.
Divide mixture between 2 x 7" cake tins and cook in preheated oven 180c for 25 mins. Leave to cool in tins for a while then turn out.  Sandwich together with raspberry jam and sprinkle with caster sugar.

You can use whatever filling you like, butter cream, fresh cream, etc 

Delicious!!

[antipodes]

I'm like goodlife - to me, a sponge is fatless which is why you can load it with whipped cream but have to eat it on the day :)
You have to fold in the flour - you can also substitute part of the flour with cornflour. Use a large metal spoon and just lift the mixture until the flour is barely incorporated, then quick in the oven.
The eggs and sugar have to be mixed to a thick cream first, use an electric beater.
I am sure you will manage it! Even I can make one and I am not a very good cake cook.  ;)

[grannyjanny]

Rosebud you could try them all & get OH to give marks out of 10 ;D.

[goodlife]

 ;D ;D

[Jeannine]

I have what I call a Featherlight Sponge which is an all in one mix but you need a mixer for it..do you have one ?

XX Jeannine

[rosebud]

  Thank you all so much. ;D  Yes Jeannine i have a mixer.  I think i shall go for GJ`s idea & try them all,  one has to work , i mean 50yrs of keep going back for a try, ::) my daughter gave me a tray of free range eggs so i must have a go.
Thanks again, fingers crossed.  If it happens i shall post a piccie, i shall try wednesday. ;D.

[Lishka]

Hiya Buds! I'm amazed that you haven't mastered the Dark Art of making a perfect sponge cake - peeps, I've eaten Rosebud's food and she is a brilliant cook) 8)

Please remember Squash's advice - WEIGH THE EGGS IN THEIR SHELLS and add the dry ingredients to equal this weight.

All the best!

Lish x

[rosebud]

  Thank you for those kind words Lish :-*..

[Debs]

Know just how you feel Rosebud!! ;D

I am a good cook ( so I'm told  ;)) but could not do yorkshire puddings,  despite
repeatedly trying. That was until the marvellous cook & fellow A4A member 'Tim' gave me a recipe which is 100% foolproof.
I have made yorkshire's for the last 5+ years and feel so proud of myself as they rise like balloons every time  ;D
I made them on Mothers Day by pouring the batter into muffin trays which contained COLD olive oil, tray  into middle of fan assisted oven for 25 - 30 mins & they were huge  :o.
Now that I've said all this I should really give the recipe. . .

3 eggs
150ml milk
150 ml plain flour

Use measuring jug for ingredients & whisk together, then cook.
It seems strange to make this way but the results speak for themselves.
Try it

Debs x

[Gadget]

Aaah Bless, Rosebud it can be done ;) when I was at school (a while back now) I had a fab home economics teacher called Mrs Brown and I was the only one who couldn't make sponge cakes, they just curdled all the time :-[

Well Mrs B wasn't one for failing that was for sure ??? So she said Right weigh 3 eggs and write down the amount, then use that figure to measure out, butter, sugar and flour.  The she said that once I had creamed all the butter and sugar together, if I add one egg and mix it in, then add a third of the flour mix, then repeat this process until the eggs and flour have gone.

Tell you what I have used that method every time and it never fails.. ;D ;D

[star]

I do the same as Squash too, Ive tried the other ways....creaming butter and sugar, add eggs and bit of flour, then fold in the rest of the flour. But the all in one method works best for me.

Good luck  ;D

[Emagggie]

My cakes are not very memorable to say the least, but I can make a decent sponge by putting all ingredients in the Kenwood (ancient) and whizzing up.For some reason it works.

[jesssands]

just conquered this myself!!  i used to get quite solid and dense sponge.
Not anymore!
I use same as luckycharlie. but soften your marg 1st.. for ease.
Whisk eggs like he says with a fork, but i add a little of the flour with each egg.
When your ready to FOLD the rest of the flour in, do it with metal tablespoon.
As soon as its gone ... thats it.. dont overdo it.
think that is where i used to go wrong.. i kept mixing!!!
Bake gas 4 for 25 - 30 min at the centre of oven.

[Lilyandpoppysmum]

I never use self raising flour as I read somewhere that the raising agents can go off if not stored correctly, or for too long.  I now buy baking powder and just use plain flour, adding when necessary.  Although don't be tempted to add too much as then your cakes can sink!!!
I have done this now for several years and never have problems with anything requiring sr flour - in fact I get complemented on the lightness of my sponge ;)

[luckycharlie]

   Just made a sponge to take to a friend and thought of you. Are you and you OH wading through sponges!!

Could just imagine you both eating sponges like they do on the Great British Bake. :) :) :)

 X Chas

[petengade]

Deb's you forgot oven temperature for yorkshire puddings Please!   ???