As you know, we are the home of allergies where daughter is concerned, and it was her 8th birthday yesterday, so of course, she wanted cake. We can't buy as they have eggs in, so I make. Here is the recipe. It is a yummy sponge, not light and fluffy, more like a moist madeira cake.
1 Ib self raising flour
8 oz butter
8 oz caster sugar
good slug of vanilla extract
milk to mix
(optional teaspoon baking powder to help with the lightness)
Rub the fat into the flour, followed by the sugar. Then add the vanilla (I use paste, much stronger more natural flavour) then add a couple of tablespoons of milk and beat together. Keep adding milk, a little at a time, until you have a soft dropping batter - not as thin as a traditional sponge, more a spreadable batter. Dollop into your greased, lined tin and bake at about 180 for 35 to 40 minutes. I leave to cool in the tin.
I have used this recipe - a tweak on my nans rock bun recipe, to make individual fairy cakes, or if the mix is made a lot stiffer, as rock buns with fruit, or choccy chips, or make a well in the middle, add a teaspoon of jam, then put another dollop of the mix on top, then bake and you have jam inside your sponges. LOVELY!
Drool, drool, jammy sponges- tomorrow. :P