Butter Sponge Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Butter 2 x 20cm non-stick sandwich tins and line with circles of baking paper. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Using electric hand beaters, beat the butter, 3 tbsp peanut butter, eggs, sugar and yogurt together until smooth and creamy. Fold in the flour, then split the mix between the tins, using a spatula to get every last bit. Bake for 30 mins until risen and golden.
• Meanwhile, toss the salted peanuts and icing sugar with ½ tsp water until well coated and claggy. Spread over a non-stick baking sheet. When the cakes are ready, leave them to cool for 5 mins in the tin, then turn onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Turn the oven up to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6, then roast the nuts for 10 mins, tossing them a couple of times until golden and coated in a shiny caramel. Tip onto a lightly buttered plate. Make the topping while you wait: melt the chocolate and milk together in a pan over simmering water or microwave on High for 1 min, then stir to melt. Leave to cool.
• Put one of the sponges onto a plate, spread with 2 tbsp peanut butter (or more), then dot with the dulce de leche and spread with a palette knife. Sandwich the second sponge on top, then spread with the chocolate topping. Scatter with the caramelised peanuts to serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, butter and line the base of two 20cm spring-form cake tins with baking parchment.
• Using an electric whisk beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Crack the eggs in one at a time and whisk well, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the lemon zest, vanilla, flour, milk and a pinch of salt. Whisk until just combined then divide the mixture between the two tins.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean. After 10 mins remove the cakes from their tins and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Fill how you like. My personal favourite is a good dollop of lemon curd and some fresh cream, then dust the top with icing sugar. Will keep for 3 days.

Steps:

• Set oven at 350 degrees.
• Grease & flour a 9" tube pan or a long, narrow bread pan.
• Add vanilla & lemon rind to butter.
• Combine eggs, egg yolks & sugar in large mixing bowl. Beat for one minute. Set bowl over half-filled pan of hot water but do not let bowl touch water.
• Place pan over low heat until contents of bowl are lukewarm, stirring occasionally to prevent eggs from cooking on bottom.
• Remove bowl from pan & beat mixture until cool & triple in bulk.
• Sprinkle flour, cornstarch & mace on top of egg mixture & fold in gently.
• Add butter mixture gradually & fold only till no streaks of butter show.
• Pour into pan. Bake about 40 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from pan immediately.
• Allow to cool completely before slicing.