Best School Days Sprinkle Sponge Recipes

RETRO SCHOOL DINNER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170C (340F). Line a rectangular tin (mine was 23x29cm) with baking paper letting the edges hang over the sides.
• Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda in a large mixing bowl. If you can be bothered then sift everything into the bowl to aerate the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, milk, vanilla extract and butter or margarine (room temperature please!).
• Start beating at lowest speed setting until ingredients come together. Increase the speed to maximum and beat until the batter is completely smooth - about 30 seconds to one minute.
• Transfer to a rectangular baking tray lined with paper and level using a spatula. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the cake is golden and feels springy to the touch. A skewer or knife inserted in the centre should come out clean - if not cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Leave the cake to cool completely then carefully invert so that you add glaze to the flat side. If the cake has domed while baking, level using a large serrated knife. This is likely to happen if your baking tray is a tad too small.
• Mix the icing sugar with just enough water to make a thick pourable glaze. Drizzle over the cake, letting it drip down the sides (you might want to do this over a large roasting tin to catch any excess glaze).
• Add sprinkles and leave the glaze to set slightly before slicing and sharing. You can serve with a little warm custard (I used tinned custard) for an extra slice of nostalgia!

SCHOOL CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat your oven to 180°c (160°c for fan assisted oven or Gas Mark 4) and a 9"x12" inch baking tin with greaseproof paper. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at time, ensuring each is mixed through before adding the next.
• Sift in the flour and gently fold to create a batter.
• Transfer the batter to your pre-lined tin and bake in your pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes until risen, golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
• Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Once your cake has cooled completely; in a bowl, mix the icing sugar with a few teaspoons of boiling water, adding a little water at time until you have a thick pouring consistency. Pour the icing onto your cake, using a spoon to guide it to the edges. Finish with some rainbow sprinkles.

OLD SKOOL RETRO SPRINKLE TRAY BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C / 325 degrees F or Gas Mark 3.
• Line a 30cm x 23 cm x 3.5cm square tin with greaseproof paper. Set aside.
• For a soft and spongy cake make sure that you have left the butter in room temperature.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and mix well.
• Once all the eggs have been added, add in the flour using 2 tablespoons at a time to make sure the mixture is smooth.
• Add in the milk and vanilla essence and mix well.
• Pour the sponge cake mixture into the tray and bake for around 25-30 minutes.
• Keep an eye on the cake until it turns golden brown. You can see if the cake is done by sticking a toothpick or a knife into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean then your sponge cake is done. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack.
• Once the cake has fully cooled down, make the icing by adding the milk into the icing sugar.
• Add half of the milk first to test the consistency. I like my icing to be quite thick, once the icing is done pour it into the middle of the cake and spread carefully with a spatula. Let the icing run along the sides of the cake for effect. Then add the sprinkles!