The Ultimate Sultana Cake Recipe: A Deliciously Simple Guide

Are you ready to bake a moist, flavorful sultana cake that will impress your friends and family? This comprehensive guide provides a foolproof recipe and helpful tips for baking the perfect sultana cake every time. We'll cover everything from ingredient selection to baking techniques, ensuring your sultana cake is a resounding success.

What You'll Need: Ingredients for a Perfect Sultana Cake

This recipe yields a classic, generously sized sultana cake. Adjust quantities as needed for smaller or larger cakes.

• 225g (2 cups) Self-Raising Flour: The foundation of our cake, providing structure and lightness. Ensure it's fresh for the best results.
• 225g (1 cup) Caster Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create a tender crumb.
• 225g (1 cup) Butter, Softened: Use unsalted butter for better control over the sweetness. Make sure it's properly softened, not melted, for optimal creaming.
• 4 Large Eggs: Bind the ingredients and add richness. Room temperature eggs work best for even mixing.
• 1 tsp Baking Powder: Provides lift and a light texture. Check the expiry date to ensure effectiveness.
• 175g (1 ½ cups) Sultanas: The star ingredient! Choose plump, high-quality sultanas for the best flavor. You can soak them in warm water for 10-15 minutes beforehand to plump them up even more and improve their distribution in the cake.
• 1 tbsp Milk: Adds moisture and helps create a smoother batter.
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (optional): Enhances the flavor profile.

Step-by-Step Instructions: Baking Your Dream Sultana Cake

Follow these simple steps to bake a moist and delicious sultana cake:

1. Preheat & Prepare: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas Mark 4). Grease and flour a 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin. This prevents sticking and ensures easy removal.
2. Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. This is crucial for a light and airy texture. Use an electric mixer for best results.
3. Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated.
4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, gently sift together the self-raising flour and baking powder.
5. Fold in Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, folding gently with a spatula until just combined. Overmixing will result in a tough cake.
6. Add Sultanas & Milk: Stir in the sultanas and milk until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
7. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Cool: Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips for Sultana Cake Perfection

• Don't overmix: Overmixing develops gluten, resulting in a tough cake. Mix until just combined.
• Room temperature ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients ensures even mixing and baking.
• Check for doneness: Use a skewer or toothpick to test if the cake is baked through.
• Let it cool completely: Allowing the cake to cool completely prevents it from crumbling when you frost it (if you choose to frost it).

Serving Suggestions: Elevate Your Sultana Cake

This sultana cake is delicious on its own, but you can also enhance it with:

• Icing: A simple buttercream frosting or a dusting of powdered sugar complements the cake beautifully.
• Fresh fruit: A topping of fresh berries or sliced bananas adds a delightful contrast in texture and flavor.
• Cream: Served with a dollop of whipped cream or custard, this cake becomes an indulgent treat.

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This comprehensive guide, optimized for search engines and packed with useful information, will help you bake the most amazing sultana cake. Enjoy!