Old School Sponge Cake

5 from 3 votes

Old school sponge cake with icing and sprinkles is a quick & easy cake that is sure to please everybody. This iced sponge cake is full of nostalgic charm and it’s delightful served just as it is or the traditional way of school dinners – with a serious helping of custard alongside it.

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 410kcal

Author: Jane Coupland

Equipment

1 30x20cm (12×8-inch) rectangular baking tin It needs to be at least 2 inches (6cm) deep

Ingredients

For the sponge cake

280 g Baking margarine
280 g Whitworths caster sugar
280 g Plain flour
5 Medium eggs or mixed size eggs weighing approximately 280g in their shells
3 teaspoons Baking powder
3 teaspoons Vanilla extract
50 ml Milk whole

For the icing

400 g Whitworths icing sugar
3-4 tablespoons Water
2-3 tablespoons Sprinkles

Instructions

Make the sponge cake

Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ GM 4
Grease a 30x20cm (12×8-inch) rectangular baking tin that is at least 2 inches (6cm) deep. Line the base and sides with baking parchement.
Cream the butter and sugar together using electric beaters until light and fluffy (this will take 3-5 minutes). Add the eggs, vanilla extract & milk.
Sift in the flour and baking powder.
Start to beat the mixture, using the slowest speed on your electric beaters, until the ingredients come together. Increase the speed and continue to beat for around 1 minute until the batter is smooth.(Don't beat for too long as thew glutens in the flour will develop and turn the cake rubbery).
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and use a knife to spread it out. To help the cake rise evenly spread the cake batter out in the tin with a slight indentation in the centre.
Bake for around 30-35 minutes until the cake is golden and a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely in the tin. Remove it from the baking tin, flip it over, so that the base faces upwards, creating a flat surface for the icing. Remove the baking parchment.

Decorate the cake

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl (optional).
Add ⅔ of the water and begin stirring with a blunt knife. Add in more water as necessary to create a smooth icing that is loose enough to spread but not so loose that it will run off the cake.
Pour the icing over the cooled cake and spread it out using the blunt knife.
Scatter lots of sprinkles over the top.
Leave the icing to set for 30 minutes before slicing.

Video

Notes

Always use digital kitchen scales and gram measurements when baking. It’s the most accurate method of measuring out ingredients, ensuring better baking results for you.
Room-temperature ingredients will help this old school sponge cake rise evenly, making it easier to decorate with the water icing.
Don’t overmix the batter as it will result in a tough sponge.
Wait until the cake is completely cold before pouring the icing over the top. If the cake is still warm then the icing will soak into the cake.
Remember that all ovens vary. The bake time is a guide and your cake may take slightly less time to cook or slightly longer.
Always use the correct tin size. Trying to fit too much batter into a smaller tin will lead to it overflowing during the bake.
This old-fashioned school cake will stay fresh for up to three days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days but remember to bring it to room temperature before eating it.

Can I halve the recipe?

Yes, you can. Clearly, it’s not easy to halve 5 eggs, but you can crack the third one open, whisk it and add just half of it to your old school sponge cake batter. Save the remaining half for use later (use it up in an omelette or to glaze pies and other pastries).

If halving the recipe, you’ll need a smaller tin. Either a 7×9-inches (18x23cm) or an 8-inch (20cm) square tin will suffice. Bake for around 20-25 minutes.

Nutrition