My Grandma Jo's cake method...

This is a method for making perfect sponge cakes of any flavour past down through our family, from my wonderful Grandma Jo, who I miss very dearly, may she rest in peace, I hope I make her proud. 

She who always welcomed us with a fresh cake and pot of tea to whenever we turned up at her house. 


Basic ingredients for every flavour of cake:

eggs
self raising flour
margarine or butter
caster sugar

Method:

The secret to this wonderful recipe is "measure to the eggs"

Regardless of how many eggs you decide to use, weigh them, with shells on, at the beginning, write down the measurement and weigh all of the remaining above ingredients to that measurement.

Preheat your over to 160'C

Mix marge/butter and sugar first

Then add the eggs and flour

Mix thoroughly until you have a lovely smooth mixture

This will make a very nice cake, just as it is, but now you have the choice to add whatever flavouring you like. Here are some of my favorites:

• For chocolate, add 4 heaped spoons of coco powder
• For classic victoria sponge add a teaspoon of vanilla extract
• For ginger and raisin add a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger root and a good handful of raisins (this is the option which I went for today as you will see from my photographs)

Mix your chosen flavour into the mixture well. 

I recommend that you use a food processor/ food mixer/ or electric whilst to get the smoothest quickest outcome, though elbow grease will do just as good a job, just might wear you out a little. It is definately fun to do it by hand if your cooking with children though.


Ladle/ spoon your mixture into a pre-prepared cake tin or cake cases.

Place into your hot oven for 15-20 minutes. Test your cake/s when you think they're done by putting a clean knife into the middle. If the knife comes out clean then it's done, if it comes out dirty then it need a little longer.

 

Serve and enjoy!