Presenting the quintessential comfort food, our Heavenly Homemade Tea Cake. This cake is deceptively simple, yet brimming with rich flavors that make it an absolute delight. Light, fluffy, and incredibly soft, it’s the perfect companion for your afternoon tea or morning coffee. Let’s delve into the making of this delightful treat!
Ingredients: Your Baking Essentials
**For the Cake:**
– All-purpose Flour: 2¼ cups (270 g/ 9.5Oz)
– Cornflour (also known as Cornstarch): ¼ cup (25 g/ 0.9Oz)
– Baking Soda: ½ tsp
– Baking Powder: 1 tsp
– Salt: ½ tsp (omit if using salted butter)
– Unsalted Butter (room temperature): ½ cup (113 g/ 3.98Oz)
– Unflavoured Vegetable Oil (I use Canola): ½ cup (105 ml)
– White Sugar: 1⅔ cups (332 g/ 11.7Oz)
– Large Eggs (room temperature): 3
– Vanilla Essence/Extract: 1¼ tbsp
– White Vinegar: 1 tsp
– Buttermilk (room temperature): 1½ cups (337 g)
Instructions: Crafting the Delight
1. **Preparation:** Start by preheating your oven to 165 degrees Celsius and preparing your cake tin. You can grease or line it as per your preference.
2. **Combining the Dry Ingredients:** In a clean bowl, sift in your dry ingredients: the all-purpose flour, cornflour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well using a whisk until everything is well combined.
3. **Creating the Butter Mixture:** In a separate mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature unsalted butter, vegetable oil, and white granulated sugar. Use a hand or stand mixer on medium-high speed to cream them together until the mixture turns light and fluffy. This should take about two minutes.
4. **Adding the Eggs:** Turn your mixer to low and add the eggs one by one, making sure to beat well after each addition.
5. **Adding Remaining Ingredients:** Next, add the vanilla extract, white vinegar, and buttermilk to the mixture. Continue mixing until everything is well combined.
6. **Incorporating the Dry Ingredients:** Now, switch to a spatula and add half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Gently fold it in until combined. Repeat the process with the remaining dry ingredients. Remember, your goal is to get a lump-free batter without overmixing it.
7. **Baking the Cake:** Pour the finished batter into the prepared tin, smoothing the top to ensure an even bake. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. **Cooling and Serving:** Once baked, allow the cake to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes. Then, remove it and let it cool completely on a wire rack. You can serve this cake plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or with a dollop of cream.
Congratulations! Your Heavenly Homemade Tea Cake is ready to be savored. This cake is testament to the beauty of simplicity in baking, producing a delightful treat that’s soft, fluffy, and absolutely delicious. Enjoy!