Gateau Basics, Rosies simple Victoria sponge.

Ingredients

• 225g/8oz butter, softened at room temperature

• 225g/8oz castor sugar

• 4 medium eggs
  

• 2 tsp vanilla extract
  

• 225g/8oz self raising flour, or plain flour and baking powder
  

• Milk

Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Grease and line a cake tin with butter and flour
Cream the butter and the sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, and stir in the vanilla extract.


Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon, adding a little extra milk if necessary, to create a batter with a soft dropping consistency.


Pour into baking tin, gently spread out with a spatula.


Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin. Place onto a wire rack.



Slice the gateau in half, so you have 2 round halves, then fill in any way you choose, today I'm using strawberry jam and butter icing cream.



Butter icing

Ingredients

• 140g/5oz butter, softened

• 280g/10oz icing sugar

• 1-2 tbsp milk

• few drops food colouring (optional)

Preparation method

1. Beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half of the icing sugar and beat until smooth.

2. Add the remaining icing sugar and one tablespoon of the milk and beat the mixture until creamy and smooth. Beat in the milk, if necessary, to loosen the mixture.

3. Stir in the food colouring until well combined.