Vanilla Sponge Cake

My mom has been using this cake recipe for years (the chocolate version) and I don't think I have ever seen it flop,
It is originally a chocolate cake recipe - I have just left out the cocoa powder.
 (will blog that recipe soon!)
 It is always light and fluffy and can be used with many different icings. 

(I use this recipe for my children's birthday cakes to - Although it is quite crumbly if you need to cut and shape...)

I baked this cake for my birthday this year to enjoy with some special friends of mine ...

So you need the following:

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

6 Tablespoons Milk

6 Tablespoons Water

45gr margarine or butter

1 1/2 cups Flour

3 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1 Tsp vanilla essence or better yet ground organic vanilla powder

Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy - I like to use Castor sugar but white and brown sugar also work fine.

Melt the butter, water and milk in a pot or microwave container - whatever you prefer

Sift the flour and salt into the egg and sugar mixture.

Mix lightly with a wooden spoon.

Add the vanilla essence and milk mixture.

Mix lightly with a wooden spoon.

Now sift in the baking powder and once again lightly! mix it in. - It does not want to be beaten!

Pour into 2 well greased baking tins and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes.

(Please always keep watch as oven temperatures differ!)

While your cake is baking, make the vanilla icing...

Ok confession time - the icing I used here was shop bought ...

It is simple to make and really delicious because real vanilla beans are used.

You can make your own icing by beating together:

Butter  - softened

Icing sugar

little milk or hot water

Vanilla essence
but preferably Ground Vanilla (found at Woolworths and PnP)
(I am not good on quatities with icing - I just add and mix as I go, next time I make I will measure out exactly what quatities I use, as that might help some!)

Once your cake is cool, ice and decorate.
We used pink, red and orange smarties...oh yes and between the 2 layers we used caramel.
Ah yes decadent I tell you...
Enjoy!