Trusted and Tried recipes ... con't (cakes)

This recipe is taken from All-Colour Baking Book (1983) and most of the recipes in this book are winners - no matter how badly I screw up the job. I even won a consolation prize for a baking contest held in a school fair some *erm* 20 years ago.

Anyway, this recipe is also my all-time favourite recipe that I go to when I need a good, solid, buttery cake.

Pound Cake Ring

(modified slightly only)

Ingredients

250g self raising flour

225g butter (I used a 250g block/ 1 cup of salted butter)

350g caster sugar (I used only 250g sugar)

4 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla essence

grated zest of 1 orange (or you could use lemon)

225g sour cream (they only sell 215g cups in the supermarket so I used only 215g)

Icing sugar to dust

Method (using stand mixer)

1. Preheat oven to 175 degree C.

2. Cream softened butter with sugar on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add eggs, one at a time. If you cannot stand the curdling that will definitely happen, add some flour (1 tablespoon or so).

4. Divide flour into 2 portions. Add 1st portion of flour and beat till well combined. Add sour cream. Beat till well combined. Add 2nd portion flour and beat till well combined.

5. Batter will make about 40 cupcakes (base of cupcake liners/ cups 1.75 inches - just enough to fold 1 oreo cookie). Fill to just slightly over 1/2 halfway.

6. Bake for 30 minutes to 45 minutes - why the discrepancy - my oven doesn't have a fan so it takes MUCH longer to bake. For ovens with fan, it would not take so long. In anycase, do the skewer test to make sure it's done.

7. Cool, and then dust with icing sugar to decorate. Ice with frosting if you wish.