We’ve transformed the classic 4-ingredient bake into an easy ‘slice and serve’ loaf cake. If you aren’t a fan of buttercream, you could fill your loaf with sweetened whipped cream, or even just jam, instead. For a tarter finish, use blackberry jam instead of raspberry.
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Yields:
10 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
225 g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
225 g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
225 g self-raising flour
FOR THE FILLING
100 g unsalted butter, softened
150 g icing sugar, plus extra to dust
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
1 -2tbsp milk
75 g raspberry jam
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Lightly grease a 900g loaf tin and line with baking parchment. For the cake, in a large bowl using a handheld electric whisk, beat the butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well to combine after each addition. Fold in the flour using a spatula.
Step 2Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and smooth to level. Bake for 1hr, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
Step 3For the filling, beat the butter in a large bowl using a handheld electric whisk until very pale. Sift in the icing sugar and beat again until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and milk, adding a little more milk to loosen, if needed.
Step 4Remove the cooled cake from the tin onto a board and slice in half horizontally. Spread the jam over the base sponge and top with the buttercream. Top with the remaining sponge and dust over a little icing sugar
GH TIPS:
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Alice Shields is the Former Senior Cookery Writer for Good Housekeeping. A trained pastry chef, you’ll find her food styling on photo shoots, developing delicious recipes and writing about all things food. She loves to bake and her favourite pudding will always be a chocolate fondant. Originally hailing from Lancashire, she finally achieved her goal of getting a butter pie recipe into the magazine.
