June's bake of the month

I’m going back to basics for this month’s bake of the month, and what could be more basic than a sponge cake.

The traditional two, four method is probably one of the first cake recipes that children (and men...) are taught when they embark on their baking journey. It’s so easy to remember – two eggs and four oz’s of butter, sugar and flour.

I’m going to make things even simpler. All it requires is for you to remember one number. The eggs, still in their shells, are weighed, in grams as it’s more accurate, and whatever it says on the scales, you weigh out that amount of flour, butter and sugar. It really is as simple as that.

So for a two egg cake mix if the two eggs weigh 137g measure out 137g of self-raising flour, caster sugar and butter/margarine. No matter what the eggs weigh always use the same weight for the flour, sugar and butter/margarine.

 Lemon sponge cake

Ingredients

• Two eggs
• Self-raising flour
• Caster sugar
• Butter/margarine
• 1 level tea-spoon of baking powder
• 1 lemon, grated
• Lemon curd
• 4 table-spoons of icing sugar
• Juice of one lemon or Jiff lemon juice

Method

• Line two 7 inch/18cm round cake tin with baking parchment or non-stick liners.
• Pre-heat oven to 180º c/Gas Mk 4. Fan oven 160ºc
• Weigh the eggs, still in their shells remember and whatever the eggs weighs in grams, that’s the amount you’ll need for the flour, sugar and butter/margarine.
• Put the sugar, butter/margarine and grated lemon into a bowl. Sift the flour along with the baking power into the bowl then add the two eggs.
• Beat well until everything is combined and the mixture is smooth – to the point that it will drop off the spoon when you tap it against the side of the bowl.
• Pour the mixture into the cake tins, trying to get the same amount in each tin (I weigh them to make sure). Make a slight well in the centre of each cake. This will stop the centre from rising too much.
• Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Try not to open the oven door during the cooking as this can stop the cakes from rising. If you think that they may be browning too much only open the door when you are past half way into the cooking time.
• To check to see if the cakes are cook gently press the surface of the cake you’re your finger. If it springs back it’s cooked. You can also test it by using a skewer (or knitting needle or a piece of spaghetti). Pierce the centre of the cake and if it comes out clean then it’s done.
• Once the cakes are cool, spread the lemon curd over one of the cakes. Try not to get the lemon curd too close to the edge as it will spread naturally to the edge when the other one is put on top of it.
• Take the other cake and carefully put it on top off the lemon curd layer.
• Sift the icing sugar into a bowl to get rid of any lumps. Add a little of the lemon juice/Jiff lemon juice and mix together carefully until the icing is slightly runny but is still quite thick in consistency.
• Pour the icing into the centre of the cake and spread it out to the edges. Don’t worry if the icing runs over the sides. Wait until the icing has set before cutting into it.