• 4 1/2 C sifted all purpose flour
• 3 C white sugar
• 1 C good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 C vegetable oil
• 3 C water (or you can substitute 1 C of water for 1 C of almond or soy milk for a denser/richer cake)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 C vanilla flavoring or 2 Tbsp of pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Sift dry ingredients together and whisk well.
2. Add wet ingredients and mix well.
3. Pour into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for one hour

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 C all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (about 3/4 C)
• 1 1/2 C white sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 C milk
• 8 oz white chocolate, melted
• Pink gel food colouring 

Directions:

1. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
3. Add sugar to the creamed butter and beat until fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add vanilla extract and mix well.
6. Alternately beat in dry ingredients and milk – starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
7. Add melted white chocolate and mix until just incorporated.
8. Add a few drops of gel food colouring until the desired pink colour is acheived (usually 1/8 to 1/4 tsp is enough).
9. Bake cake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until done.  For cupcakes, bake for about 20 minutes.

2 C self rising flour
1 C milk
3 large eggs
2 C granulated (white) sugar
1 C butter
2 tsp vanilla

1. Cream butter and sugar together.
2. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
3. Beat in vanilla.
4. Alternatively add flour and milk, starting and ending with the flour.
5. Bake at 350 degrees – start checking after 15 minutes. When it bounces back to the touch, they are ready!

Variations:

Honey Lavender – swap out 1/4-1/2 of the sugar with honey (depending on how strong a honey flavour you want), simmer the milk for a few minutes with the lavender and allow it to cool completely. Strain and use the lavender milk in the recipe. For extra lavender flavour, you can make lavender sugar or I also grind it and add it to the icing.

Guava – fold in some guava paste at the end. I’m sure this would work for Mango as well, but I’m allergic so I can’t mess around with it! I’m allergic to guava too but not as bad as the mango, my mom was my guinea pig and now she keeps harassing me for the recipe! LOL.

Jasmine Citrus - the same as the honey lavender, just replace the vanilla with citrus extract of your choice (lemon, orange etc.) and a tsp of zest, and allow the jasmine tea to steep in the warmed milk until the milk is cool.

Green Tea – if you can get some matcha green tea powder, add a couple of teaspoons to the batter, other wise, steep the green tea in the milk (use a lot of bags to get a strong flavour).

Pink Lemonade – use lemon extract instead of vanilla, add the zest of one lemon and add 1/4 C of grenadine or strawberry syrup.

Cappuccino – add some instant coffee granules to the warmed milk allow to steep as it cools. For a stronger coffee flavour, replace a tsp of the vanilla with a tsp of instant espresso granules.

Chai – add some chai spice to the warmed milk, allow it to cool and use in the recipe.

White Chocolate Raspberry – I add 1/4 C of raspberry puree or 2 Tbsp of good quality raspberry preserves and 1/3 C of good quality chocolate chips.

Have fun with making variations on your own!

Ingredients:

1 C butter, softened
3 C sugar
6 eggs
5 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp grated lemon peel
1-2 tsp lemon extract (to your liking)
3 C all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 1/4 C sour cream

Drizzle/Icing:
1/4 C sour cream
2 Tbsp butter, softened
2 1/2 C confectioners’ sugar
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp grated lemon peel

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (between 3-5 minutes).
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt. (Sift or whisk together to incorporate all ingredients well).
4. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternatively with the sour cream.
5. Beat just until combined.
6. Pour into a greased and floured pan (it’s enough for a 10 inch bundt or 2 8 inch rounds (2 inch)).
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted near centre comes out clean.
8. Cool for at least 10 minutes before turning out of pan.

For drizzle/icing:
1. Beat sour cream and butter together until blended.
2. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar.
3. Beat in lemon juice and peel.
4. Drizzle over cake. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

150 grams (5 oz) softened butter
150 grams (5 oz) white sugar
150 grams (5 oz) self-raising flour
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 315 degrees and prepare pans.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until they are light and fluffy (3-5 minutes)
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Sift in flour and mix thoroughly.
5. Add the vanilla extract.
6. Pour into pans and bake for 50 minutes or until the cake is a light golden colour and toothpick comes out clean.
7. Leave cake in pan for 5-10 minutes before removing to cool completely on rack.

This is a small recipe for a 5-6” pan. You can easily double or triple this recipe. It is all weighted, so just make sure that your butter, sugar and self-raising flour are all the same weight. It is a very delicious cake! I hope you give it a try!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 C sweet cream, salted butter
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 C sour cream
3 TBSP Molasses

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare pans.
2. Sift together flour and baking soda.
3. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes)
4. Add eggs, one at a time.
5. Add banana, molasses and vanilla.
6. Add flour mixture alternative with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture until well blended.
7. Bake for 40 minutes, or until just done.