Easy cake recipes are ideal for busy parents who still want to treat their children to homemade cakes but struggle to find the time. Many of the other recipes on this site are easy but to save searching around for easy cake recipes it seems like a good idea to pull them altogether in one place.

More links to easy recipes at the foot of the page – these are variations on the easy sponge cake where all the ingredients are mixed together in a bowl, split between two tins and baked – it really couldn’t be easier!

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Easy Sponge Cake Recipe

Ingredients

4 oz…110g self raising flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
4 oz…110g soft margarine at room temperature
4 oz…110g caster sugar
2 large eggs
2-3 drops vanilla essence

To finish:

Icing/confectioners’ sugar, jam

Two 7 in (18cm) cake tins, at least 1.5in (4cm) deep, greased and bases lined with greaseproof/waxed paper

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Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3, 170 deg C, 325 deg F.

This is a really easy cake recipe. Sift the baking powder and flour into a large mixing bowl. Next, make sure the margarine is soft, then simply add all the other ingredients to the bowl and beat them well until everything is thoroughly mixed together. An electric mixer will give better results. The mixture should just drop from a wooden spoon when tapped on the side of the bowl, so if needed mix in 1-2 teaspoons of warm water to get the right consistency.

Divide the mixture between each of the lined and greased tins and place on the centre shelf of the preheated oven for about thirty minutes. When cooked, the top of the sponge should be springy to the touch.

Remove from the oven when cooked and allow to cool for about a minute. Loosen the edges with a knife and turn the sponges out onto a wire rack to cool. Carefully remove the lining paper and when completely cool spread your favourite jam on the sponge and sandwich together. To finish, dust the top with icing/confectioners’ sugar if you like.

Here is a simple sponge cake recipe for you to enjoy.

Cakes like these are so versatile – you can make the basic sponge layers and freeze them until needed. Then choose your filling and topping and make a different cake every time.

No prizes for guessing that the Victoria sponge was named after Queen Victoria, who enjoyed a piece of plain sponge cake with her afternoon tea. The traditional Victoria sponge consists of jam and whipped cream sandwiched between two sponge layers, and the top of the cake is not iced or decorated, but many cooks like to finish the cake with a little sugar or icing.

So, enough of the history, let’s start the simple simple sponge cake recipes with this classic for a Victoria Sponge made the conventional way by creaming butter and sugar together, adding the eggs and then the flour and salt.

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Victoria Sponge

Metric/Imperial Ingredients

225g/8oz butter or margarine
225g/8oz caster sugar
4 eggs beaten
225g/8oz self raising flour
Pinch of salt
3 15ml spoons/3 tbs warm water

American Ingredients

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
4 eggs beaten
2 cups flour sifted with 2 tsps baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 tbs warm water

Cream the butter/margarine with the sugar until light and fluffy, and then slowly beat in the eggs. Sift the flour and salt together and fold gently into the egg mixture. Sufficient warm water can be added to make the mixture just drop from a spoon.

Prepare two 8in/ 20cm cake tins (layer pans) by greasing and lining with paper before pouring half the mixture into each tin.

Bake in the centre of the oven at Gas 5, 190 deg C, 375 deg F until golden and risen. When cooked, turm out of the tins and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Sandwich the layers together with jam or buttercream. Sprinkle the top with icing (confectioners’) sugar, or drizzle with glace icing and serve with an excellent cup of tea or coffee.

Try making this double chocolate gateau for your next special celebration. The recipe makes a moist chocolate layer cake filled with a creamy white chocolate filling and topped with plain chocolate icing. Serve with some whipped cream for absolute luxury.

Double Chocolate Gateau

Ingredients

230g…8oz margarine or softened butter
230g…8oz soft brown sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
230g…8oz self-raising flour
60g…2oz cocoa powder
2-3 tbsp milk
250ml…9fl oz whipping cream, for filling
230g…8oz white chocolate pieces, for filling

For icing:
115g…4oz butter, or margarine
115ml…3fl oz double cream
350g…12oz plain chocolate pieces

Chocolate curls, or flakes, and icing sugar for decoration

One greased and base-lined 8in/20cm deep round cake tin

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Make the double chocolate gateau filling first. Chop the white chocolate into very small pieces and gently heating the cream in a small saucepan. Add the finely chopped white chocolate to the cream in the pan and, without lettting the cream boil, stir for about ten to fifteen seconds until the chocolate has just melted.

Pour into a bowl or small jug and allow to cool before chilling for about two hours. Gently whisk until the cream and chocolate filling just forms soft peaks.

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C, 350 deg F, Gas Mark 4.

Beat the butter, or margarine, with the sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Slowly and gently beat in the eggs, alternating with a little flour to prevent splitting. Sift in the remaining flour and cocoa powder, and carefully fold into the mixture. It should form a soft dropping consistency – it should just drop from a spoon when tapped on the side of the bowl. Add a little milk if the cake mixture is too dry.

Transfer to the prepared cake tin and place in the centre of the oven for about 45 minutes. Test towards the end of the baking time by pushing a skewer, or similar, into the centre of the cake. It will come out clean when the chocolate cake is cooked.

Place on a wire rack and leave in the tin to cool for 5-10 minutes. Turn out carefully and leave on the rack to cool completely before finishing.

When cool, carefully slice the cake into three equal layers. Use the chilled, whipped white chocolate filling to sandwich the layers together.

Melt the plain chocolate in a bowl over hot water. Add the butter and cream and stir gently to form a smooth icing. Allow to cool a little and then spread over the top and sides of the layered sponge cake, smoothing with a pallet knife.

For the finishing touch, decorate by sprinkling chocolate curls, or flaked chocolate over the cake and dusting with a little icing sugar.

Serve your double chocolate gateau with whipped cream to enjoy the ultimate chocolate luxury!