Butter Cake

Ingredients

• 250 g unsalted butter
• 130 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 egg yolks
• 200 g self-raising flour, sifted
• 60 mL milk
• 30 g cocoa powder
• 50 g caster sugar
• egg whites

Method

Cream the butter and 130 g caster sugar together for 3–4 minutes until pale and fluffy. This creaming process incorporates air into the fat, which stabilises the cake's crumb structure. The mixture should look almost mousse-like and fall in ribbons from the beater. Add the vanilla extract, then incorporate the egg yolks one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each addition until fully emulsified. If the mixture curdles — looking grainy and separated — the yolks are too cold or you've added them too quickly; continue beating and it will come back together as the butter warms.

Alternate adding the sifted self-raising flour and milk in three additions: half the flour first, then all the milk, then the remaining flour. Stir each addition by hand with a spatula until just combined. Once flour hits the batter, gluten begins developing; overworking at this stage tightens the crumb and dries the cake. Switch to hand-mixing here, not the electric mixer — you'll have finer control and less risk of overdeveloping gluten.

For the optional cocoa variation, separate one-third of the batter into another bowl and fold through the cocoa powder and 50 g caster sugar until no streaks remain. Make the meringue by whisking the egg whites to stiff peaks, adding the remaining sugar gradually as you approach the end. The whites should go from foamy to soft peaks to glossy, firm peaks — test by lifting the whisk; the peaks should hold their shape without drooping.

Fold the meringue into the main batter in two additions, using a spatula to cut down the centre, sweep along the bottom, and turn the bowl as you go. This folding technique preserves the air you've incorporated. If you've made the cocoa batter, divide the meringue and fold one portion through each, then pour both batters into a lined cake tin, alternating in spoonfuls. Run a skewer through once or twice for marbling — more than that homogenises the colours.

Tap the tin firmly on the bench to collapse large air pockets. Bake at 175°C for 40–60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the deepest part comes out clean. The surface should spring back when lightly pressed and have a faint golden colour. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.