How to make the best butter cake
Sometimes the simple things bring the most joy. This traditional butter cake is made from just six pantry staples, but the end result is what cooking is all about – care, comfort and deliciousness.
Ingredients
- 250g Western Star Chef’s Choice Butter, chopped, softened
- 1 cup (215g) caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
- ½ cup (125ml) milk
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C (fan-forced) and grease a 24cm x 13cm x 6.5cm (base measurements) loaf pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above pan edges
- Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and creamy
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mixture may look curdled at this stage
- Add sifted flour and milk in two batches, folding until combined. Spoon into prepared pan and smooth top
- Cook 50-60 minutes or until lightly golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and stand in pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
Tips for making the perfect butter cake
1. Preheat the oven
Always preheat your oven to the right temperature before baking to make sure your cake cooks evenly. Cakes are best baked in the lower-middle shelves, so arrange the shelving before turning on the oven to avoid losing any heat. If you’re not sure your oven is the right temperature, place an oven thermometer in the middle of the oven and check it doesn’t run too hot or cold. Adjust temperature and time to suit if necessary.
2. Preparing the pan
Use the correct cake pan size. Pans that are too large or small will affect the cook time and end result. Always grease and line the baking pan with baking paper to stop your cake sticking. To make it easier to line, use a cooking spray to lightly grease the tin first.
3. Use quality, room temperature ingredients
All your ingredients must be at room temperature before you begin to ensure the fats, eggs and dairy emulsify easily and form a good batter.
This cake is so simple that the flavour and quality of all the ingredients will shine. Fresh butter, milk, eggs and even flour will greatly affect the flavour and quality of your butter cake. A cultured butter such as Western Star Chef’s Choice Butter will provide a rich creamery flavour for an outstanding butter cake. Check that your ingredients are all in date, especially your self-raising flour as out-of-date flour may not rise well to give you a fluffy texture.
Weigh and measure ingredients carefully. Using a scale is the most accurate method. If using a cup measure for flour and sugar, scoop it out as opposed to filling it with a spoon. Overfill the cup measure, tap gently to compact the flour or sugar then scrape excess off the top with the back of a dinner knife.
4. Don’t substitute
Avoid substituting ingredients as this can have a structural impact on the end result.
5. Let the cake cool
You’ve done the work and now your prize is out of the oven! It’s tempting to cut into the freshly baked cake, but your cake will crumble and break.
Remove it from the oven and let it stand in its cake tin for 5-10 minutes, the cake continues cooking and sets during this time. Remove any baking paper and cool on a wire cake rack until room temperature (it’s okay to remove the cake while it’s still a little warm, but not hot).
Now you can slice and serve! If you are icing your butter cake, it’s best to chill your cake first to prevent the icing from softening or melting.