Butter Cake

Prep 30 mins
Cook 1 hour
Servings 12

Ingredients:
250g butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
2/3 cup milk
icing sugar mixture, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease and line an 8cm-deep, 19cm (base) square cake pan with baking paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream butter, caster sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating to combine. Add half the flour. Stir to combine. Add half the milk. Stir to combine. Repeat with remaining flour and milk.
4. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar. Serve.

Nutrition
Energy: 1472 kj
Fat Total: 19.2g
Saturated Fat: 12.1g
Fibre: 1.1g
Protein: 5.1g
Cholesterol: 102mg
Sodium: 374mg
Total Carbs: 39.9g

All nutrition values are per serve

Victoria Sandwich

Ingredients

4 free-range eggs
225g/8oz caster sugar, plus a little extra for dusting the finished cake
225g/8oz self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
225g/8oz baking spread, margarine or soft butter at room temperature, plus a little extra to grease the tins

To serve
good-quality strawberry or raspberry jam
whipped double cream (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line 2 x 20cm/8in sandwich tins. (Use a piece of baking paper to rub a little baking spread or butter around the inside of the tins until the sides and base are lightly coated then line the bottom of the tins with a circle of baking paper.
2. Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar, flour, baking powder and baking spread. Mix everything together until well combined with an electric hand mixer (you can also use a wooden spoon) but be careful not to over mix. Put a damp cloth under your bowl when you’re mixing to stop it moving around. The finished mixture should fall off a spoon easily.
3. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins: this doesn’t need to be exact, but you can weigh the filled tins if you want to check. Use a spatula to remove all of the mixture from the bowl and gently smooth the surface of the cakes.
4. Place the tins on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Don't be tempted to open the door while they're cooking, but after 20 minutes do look through the door to check them.
5. The cakes are done when they’re golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins. Press them gently to check – they should be springy to the touch. Remove them from the oven and set aside to cool in their tins for five minutes. Then run a palette or rounded butter knife around the inside edge of the tin and carefully turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. 
6. To take your cakes out of the tins without leaving a wire rack mark on the top, put the clean tea towel over the tin, put your hand onto the tea towel and turn the tin upside-down. The cake should come out onto your hand and the tea towel – then you can turn it from your hand onto the wire rack. Set aside to cool completely.
7. To assemble the cake, place one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with plenty of jam. If you want to, you can spread over whipped cream too. Top with the second cake, top-side up. Sprinkle over the caster sugar.

Cheddar Bacon Egg Salad

YIELD: 3 BIG SANDWICHES

PREP TIME:10 MINUTES
COOK TIME:20 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME:30 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:
6 eggs
4 slices bacon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Salt & pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add the eggs to a medium sized pot and fill with water to 1 inch above the eggs. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid, and let sit for 15 minutes.
2. Run the eggs under cold water or place them in an ice bath until cold.
3. While the eggs are cooling, chop the bacon into bite sized pieces and fry until crisp over medium heat. Drain the fat and set aside the bacon.
4. Peel the eggs and mash them finely with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, parsley, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
5. Stir in the bacon and cheddar.
6. Serve as a dip with crackers or between bread as a sandwich.