150 g unsalted butter
150 g caster sugar
200 g self-raising flour or
200 g plain flour sifted with three scant teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs
1 to 2 tbsps milk

This quantity makes a large cake, filling a round 21 cm x 4 cm loose-based cake tin, or two shallower sponge tins.

Grease and flour the tins.

Cream the butter and sugar until soft and light. Add the eggs, lightly beaten, one at a time, alternating with the flour. It is best to beat the eggs in briskly and gently fold in the flour.

Don’t try to mix in flour and eggs at the same time, as there will be more lumps, which means you will have to mix harder. To add the flour, I place a sieve over the mixing bowl and sift in a quarter at a time, if I’m using four eggs.

Once mixed, pour the cake batter into the prepared tin or tins and tap them on the work surface to make sure there are no empty spots in the tins.

Bake in the centre of the oven for approximately 50 minutes at 180°C if in one cake tin, about 30 minutes if in two sandwich tins, but check by inserting a skewer in the middle of the cake; when the cake is done, the skewer will emerge clean, without any batter adhering to it.

When fully baked, carefully turn the cake out onto a wire rack or several folds of clean towel and allow it to cool.

When the cake is cold, you can go to town on decorating it. A very simple way to finish is to split the cake horizontally, spread one half with jam, lemon curd or marmalade then with sweetened or plain ricotta. Place the other half on top and simply sift icing sugar over the surface.