Gluten-Free School Cake

I’m always being asked to make this for my friends – everyone loves it! The soft vanilla sponge topped with old-fashioned icing and sprinkles is a little bit of nostalgia, and goes so well with custard. I always eat it warm from the oven. You can’t beat it!

MAKES 12 SQUARES

225 g (8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature

225 g (8 oz) caster sugar

4 eggs

225 g (8 oz) gluten-free self-raising flour

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) icing sugar

4 teaspoons water

coloured sprinkles, for decoration

Preheat your oven to 180.C/160. Fan (350.F), Gas Mark 4.

Line the bottom and sides of a 32 x 22 cm (12. x 8. in) traybake tin with non-stick baking paper.

Place your butter and caster sugar in a bowl and beat together until pale and creamy. I use an electric whisk for this.

Beat in your eggs one at a time, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next.

Sift in your flour and stir until well combined.

Pour your batter into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes, or until a metal skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Turn the cake onto a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, place your icing sugar in a large bowl and add the measured water in tiny splashes, mixing well between each one. You need to add just enough to make a paste that coats the back of a spoon.

Once your cake has completely cooled, pour your icing on top. Then scatter your colourful sprinkles over the surface and eat straight away!

This recipe is from Can You Make That Gluten-Free? by Megan McKenna.