Recipe: Celebrate National Baking Day with our Super Simple Sponge Recipe

Aprons at the ready! Celebrate National Baking Day by introducing little chefs to some yummy home-made treats they’ll be keen to lend a helping hand with (and eating too, of course).

Cute cooks and mini diners alike will love this super simple sponge recipe, a perfect tasty bake that the whole family can enjoy. 

Add some extra fun to the occasion by using these amazing Liewood cake pan and cupcake moulds. Made from flexible, eco-friendly silicone, they don’t require any greasing and come in an array of cute characters and colourways.  I mean, who doesn’t love a Dino cake! 

Take your pick from our gorgeous baking shop, brimming with all those kitchen staples to inspire the next star baker. 

Use this versatile recipe to conjure up delicious cupcakes or larger sponge cakes.

Super Simple Sponge

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking Time: 20-30 mins

Serves: 8-10

You will need:

• Silicone cake pan/cupcake moulds
• Measuring scales
• Large mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon or electric mixer
• Wire cooling rack

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 butter at room temperature, plus a little extra to grease the tins

 

Ready, Steady, Bake

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. 

Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar, flour, baking powder and butter. 

1. Mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer.  Take care not to over mix. You are looking for a texture that falls off the spoon easily without being too sloppy. 

Pour the mixture into the cake pan mould(s) or, if making cupcakes, divide it evenly between the cases.

Bake the cakes on the middle shelf of the oven for 25 minutes (15-20 minutes for cupcakes). Check them after 20 minutes. The cakes are ready when they’re golden-brown and springy to the touch. 

Let them cool down for 5 minutes then carefully pop them out onto a wire cooling rack.

Finish off your cake by using one of our tempting flavour combos toppings below. 

 

Variations and Fillings

Experiment with some of these tasty ideas and find your own favourite flavour combinations. 

Chocolate chip

• Add 100g of  chocolate chips to the wet mix and stir. These work particularly well as cupcakes and make an ideal sandwich box snack. 

Chocolate Heaven 

Add 2 tbsp of cocoa powder to the wet mix and stir well. Once baked and cooled, cut your sponge in half and spread with a layer of chocolate spread. 

Very Vanilla 

• Add 2 tsp of vanilla extract to the wet mix . Once baked and cooled, cut your sponges in half and spread with a layer of strawberry jam, then a layer of buttercream. Or fresh cream.

Zingy Lemon 

• Add 2 tsp of vanilla extract to the wet mix. Once baked and cooled, cut your sponger in half and spread with a layer of lemon curd, then a layer of buttercream or fresh cream.

Strawberries & Cream

• Chop up a punnet of strawberries into small chunks and add to the mix. Once the sponge is baked and cooled, serve with a generous dollop of double cream or natural yoghurt. 

Blueberry Blast

• Add a punnet of washed blueberries to the mix. Once the sponge is baked and cooled, serve with some blueberry yoghurt for a burst of berrylicious flavour! 

 

Top Tip:

Why not do a big batch bake and pop some in the freezer to enjoy for another day.  

Happy Baking folks!

Thanks to the wonderful My Little Food Critic for sharing these cute snaps with us. For more food inspiration for mini eaters, head over to her Instagram page.