Classic School Cake: A Slice of Nostalgia 🍰🎂
A light, airy sponge topped with sweet icing and cheerful sprinkles—School Cake is a joyful British bake, full of retro charm. Perfect for afternoon tea, parties, or simply reliving those school day treats.
Ingredients
For the Sponge:
🧈 Unsalted butter: 200g, softened
🍬 Caster sugar: 200g
🥚 Large eggs: 4
🍚 Self-raising flour: 200g
🍦 Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
🥛 Milk: 2 tbsp
For the Icing:
🍧 Icing sugar: 250g
💧 Water: 3–4 tbsp
🌈 Sprinkles: A generous handful for topping
Method
🍳 Heat and prep:
Set your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line a rectangular tin (about 23x30cm) with baking paper.
🧈 Beat the butter and sugar:
Cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
🥚 Mix in the eggs:
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each to keep the mixture smooth.
🍚 Add the dry ingredients:
Sift in the self-raising flour and fold in gently. Stir in the vanilla extract and milk to make a smooth batter.
🥄 Bake the cake:
Pour the mixture into the tin, level it out, and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Let it cool completely in the tin.
🍧 Prepare the icing:
Mix the icing sugar with water a little at a time until you’ve got a thick but spreadable icing.
🎨 Finish with flair:
Spread the icing evenly over the cooled sponge. Top with sprinkles for that classic school-time look.
🍴 Cut and enjoy:
Once the icing has set (about 30 minutes), slice into squares or rectangles and serve.
Serving Information
⏱ Prep Time: 20 minutes
🔥 Cook Time: 30 minutes
🍰 Total Time: 50 minutes
🍴 Serves: 12–16 slices
💜 Calories: ~220 per slice
Sweet, simple, and straight from the school canteen—just as good as you remember! 🎉