All-In-One Basic Birthday Cake

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4/fan oven 160°C. Grease a deep 20cm/8in round cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.

Step 2

Put the flour, baking powder, sugar, butter and eggs into the mixer bowl and using the k beater mix on low speed until everything is mixed together. Increase the speed to max. and whisk for 2 minutes. Stir in the milk.

Step 3

Spoon the mixture into the tin and level the top. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the centre of the cake springs back when lightly pressed, and the mixture is starting to come away from the sides of the tin. Leave the cake in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool before decorating. Keeps in an airtight tin for 2-3 days.

Step 4

Chocolate: replace 25g/1oz flour with 25g/1oz cocoa powder.Orange: stir the finely grated zest of 1 orange into the mixture with the eggs.Vanilla: add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract