This week I entered my fifth year of parenting. I've thrown a few parties for the girls in that time. The first time I discovered plates of discarded cake hidden in odd places, I took it to heart. Since then, I've realised one of the realities of parenthood: kids lick off the icing and discard the cake. Adriano Zumbo’s kids lick off the icing and hide the cake!
Now I'm older and more wise in the ways of children, I approach the cake like this: the decorations are for the kids. The cake inside? That’s the parents’ reward for surviving the party. By the time the cake is cut, they've likely survived a pass-the-parcel induced tantrum, they have sand in their shoes and dirty handprints on their clothes. They’ve started to wonder how they'll get the face paint and grass stains off their kid’s clothes. They've earned good cake.
This cake is perfect for kids parties. It holds its shape well and is perfect for cakes that need ‘construction’. It freezes, so you can bake it ahead of time, thaw it overnight and ice it on the day of the party. Best of all, the taste is worthy of the calories ingested. 
Butter Cake
Ingredients:
250g butter, room temperature
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups caster sugar (for a caramel butter cake, substitute 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar)
5 eggs
2 cups plain flour
1 cup self raising flour
½ teaspoon bicarb of soda
1 cup milk
Method:
Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract. Add the eggs and mix until combined. Add all the remaining ingredients and beat together on a low speed until combined. Increase to a medium speed and beat until smooth.
Bake at 160C for an hour and fifteen minutes. Makes two 20cm round cake tins (or whatever shaped tin your creation requires).
This recipe has stood me in good stead over the years, from my very first ladybird cake to this year’s fairy princess cake.
Bookmark this recipe and it’ll be your best friend too.
After all, if you've survived the party, you've earned good cake!
Niki says
Looks delicious! I'll have to try it out for myself! My little guy just turned one (and wasn't interested in cake at all this year), so we still have LOTS of birthday cakes ahead of us!
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
Lots and lots to look forward to! 🙂
FreshHomeCook says
Brilliant birthday cakes Amanda - I suck at cake decorating so I am always in awe of those who do it so well! I'm always on the look out for a good butter cake recipe - thanks for sharing! 🙂
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
My Dad helps decorating the girls' cakes. It's our thing. Maybe I should loan him out!? 🙂
Kate says
Gorgeous cakes! I have the opposite problem. My two kids and husband hate the cake icing… the icing gets discarded, the cake eaten. That said, I will try your cake! And eat it.
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
Really Kate? Perhaps there's hope my kids will grow out of it!
maxabella says
Yum, yum, yum (that's me having a piece of your butter cake). I looooooove butter cake so guess what the girls and I are making this afternoon??? Thanks Amanda!! Come back and link up a new recipe for me each week and I'll be your best buddy... 🙂 xxx
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
Butter cake is hard to beat isn't it Bron? Hope you like it. (I'll put my thinking hat on for next week!) 🙂
Danya Banya says
Half way though baking this and my house smells amazing.....
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
Great Danya - how did it turn out?
Danya Banya says
I tweeked the recipe a tiny bit as I only had 1/2 cup of plain flour in the cupboard so I used 2 1/2 cups of self raising. It didn't rise as much as I was expecting though, and still had a nice flat top which is great for construction / icing. The flavour was pretty good, but not as good as the smell 🙂