Easy peasy sponge cake recipe - can you help pls?!

[YumeeMumee]

DH is 2 in a few weeks and I'd like to make him a cake - ideally something delish and impressive but easy!
Am totally rubbish at baking so need a completely idiot-proof recipe and prob need to rein in my expectations! Any ideas pls?

[Love2bake]

First, would need to know the size of your cake tins.

[overthemill]

i make this cake most years now for dd. we all love it and it can be thrown together in minutes.

jamie oliver party cake
don't add the sherry or nuts is my advice as it's for a dc!
enjoy

[traceybath]

I've just made a very impressive looking tractor cake for my DS's 4th birthday party.

I got the cake tin from lakeland and thought it'll never work as lots of detail in the tin.

But it came out fab! They include a recipe with the tin which i added cocoa too to make it chocolatey. I then iced with coloured butter icing.

However, although it looks good am not sure it will taste so fab. Have therefore made a lemon layer cake and tania ramsey's birthday cake for the mummies to eat.

Blimey - i'm mad!

[overthemill]

oh and look what else i found on google

the whole book!

[YumeeMumee]

I need cake tins?!?!
Right I have one(!) 19cm square tin but can also borrow tins from a friend. Was thinking of doing a square rather than round cake...basic, basic pls!

[overthemill]

square is good if you have loads of people coming and easier to ice/decorrate.
but i normally doa round one and put choc icing on and then decorate with bought icing things and candles
easy
jamie oliver cake is a piece of p*

[Love2bake]

I would do:

6oz Butter
6oz C Sugar
6oz SR Flour
3 eggs
teaspoon of Baking Powder
dash of vanilla Extract

Mix it all and bake for 30 (ish) mins

Cover with icing and sweets.

[YumeeMumee]

overthemill - jamie oliver cake looks good but a bit rich and I'm being a strict mum about chocolate at the mo.
love2bake - is this a chuck it all in a bowl and just mix? What heat should I bake? And is this ok for my one 19cm tin?! [laughing hysterically smiley face] Is it fool-proof or do you think I should do a practise run first?!

[overthemill]

oh it isn't really, just leave out the rich icing and its a basic choc sponge!

[Love2bake]

Yes all in and mix. I have a fan assisted oven so I bake at about 150, if you dont up to about 170.

Please yes, do a test run. I would feel bad if it all went wrong

[YumeeMumee]

Fab - thanks love...I do have a fan oven so thanks for that too...I'm always messing stuff up cos I forget that fan is different to normal oven [I should not be allowed in the kitchen really!]
Will give it a go tonight I think. What about icing? Or is that a bit adventurous for me at my level - what dya think?!

[Love2bake]

Icing is easy, just mix icing sugar with a couple of tablespoons of water. Just add more water / sugar until you get a good consistency.

Good Luck, let us know how it comes out.

[YumeeMumee]

Is this kind of icing the same as the thicker stuff that you can cover a whole cake with? What about the ready made stuff?!
OK - will do a dummy run first on just the cake and then if that goes well, I will think about taking on the next challenge of icing! Thanks much! Am sure I'll be asking for your help again...shame you can't talk me through it step by step

[Love2bake]

The stuff you mix yourself will be stickier, but if your planning to cover in sweets, it would work better.

[Love2bake]

YM - any news on how the cake turned out?

[YumeeMumee]

Hi Love...I haven't had chance to try yet as I didn't think it was wise to rush it! It will have to wait until the w/end now...will keep you updated - fingers crossed

[YumeeMumee]

L2B - cake turned out lovely - thank you so much! Am very excited about this now!
Can I use the same recipe for fairy cakes? Or do you have a fairy cake recipe?

[AbbaFan]

great news.

You could do the same for fairy cakes, but you will get loads with that amount of ingredients, I would change to 4oz flour, butter and sugar and 2 eggs (same all else). This will make about 20 fairy cakes.

[YumeeMumee]

Excellent - thanks so much!