There is a soft, moist and straight-forward cake recipe that I have made time and time again since my children were toddlers. Sometimes the batter is baked in muffin cases, other times in a loaf tin and when doubled, it has formed the base of themed birthday cakes, from pretty in pink Barbie doll style creations, to sporting fields, racing car, giant numerals and frosted teddy bear shapes. 

Aptly named, Buttermilk Birthday Cake, it’s one of the initial recipes I tried when I first purchased Nigella Lawson’s classic cookbook, How to be a Domestic Goddess, many moons ago. It is one of those cakes that will keep for about four days – unless of courses it’s gobbled up immediately – and tastes even better on day two, when the vanilla flavour has had a chance to really infuse through the golden sponge. 

Today I made a double batch because I had an excess of buttermilk in the fridge that had to be used before it expired. I mixed half a cup of coconut through one portion. This resulted in a tasty, easy-to-eat on the run coconut buttermilk version which the children enjoyed after swimming training. The other portion was poured into a 23 cm round tin and topped with a combination of two sliced apples, two heaped teaspoons of brown sugar and half a cup of rolled oats. I’m sure the children will be pleased when they open their morning tea boxes tomorrow. 

This is the basic recipe for Buttermilk Cake. You may like to add the coconut or apple oat topping as I have described above, or other seasonal fruit of your choice. It is also lovely served warm from the oven with fresh cream or custard. 

125 g unsalted butter at room temperature
200 g caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
250 g plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
200 ml buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees fan bake mode. Lightly grease and line a 23 cm round cake tin. 

Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy. I used my KitchenAid mixer which did the hard work for me with the flick of a switch. 

Add the eggs and beat again to combine. 

Add the sifted flour and other dry ingredients along with the buttermilk and beat on a medium speed until combined, thick and smooth. 

Scrape into your pan. Add your choice of topping at this stage or simply leave it  plain. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. 

Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool or onto a serving plate if intending to eat while still deliciously warm.