This is still my favourite cake. My mother always made it when she was in a hurry to entertain friends. The flavour is simple from its basic ingredients and it is best served warm, cut in wedges and spread with a little butter.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup caster sugar
• 50 grams butter, softened
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1½ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ cup milk

cinnamon & sugar topping

• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Method

1. Mix the sugar and butter together in a bowl with a wooden spoon. There is not enough here to cream so mix as well as you can.
2. Beat in the egg.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold into the butter mixture alternately with the milk.
4. Spoon the batter into a well-greased and floured 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin.
5. Bake at 180°C for 40 minutes or until it is well risen, golden and the edge has shrunk from the side of the tin. Allow the cake to stand in the tin for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a cake rack. Do allow the cake to stand for 5 minutes before turning out of the tin as the freshly cooked cake will be too tender to turn out sooner and is likely to break in the process.
6. While the cake is still hot, spread the softened butter over the top and sprinkle over the sugar and cinnamon. Cut into 8-10 wedges and serve lightly buttered.
7. While the cake is still hot spread the top of the cake with the extra butter and sprinkle over the sugar and cinnamon.

Cooks Tips

- Make a simple apple or pear variation. Peel, core and thinly slice 1 apple or pear and arrange the slices on top of the cake prior to baking.