MOIST VANILLA CAKE

This cake is perfect for birthdays and wedding cakes..
so for all you home bakers - this is the one for you :)

Ingredients:
250g pack unsalted butter , softened, plus extra for greasing
250g caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
5 large eggs , cracked into a jug
85g plain flour
100g full-fat Yogurt
250g self-raising flour
3 tbsp low fat milk

FOR THE SYRUP
50g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
50 ML water

DIRECTIONS:
1.Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease a round, deep 20cm tin, then line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper.

2. Using electric beaters or a tabletop mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and ¼ tsp salt together until pale and fluffy, then pour in the eggs, one at a time, giving the mix a really good beating before adding the next. Add 1 tbsp of the plain flour if the mix starts to look slimy rather than fluffy. Beat in the yogurt.

3. Mix the flours; then, using a large metal spoon, fold them into the batter, followed by the milk. Spoon the mix into the tin and bake for 1 hr 20 mins or until well risen and golden - a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean. (took me exactly 1 HOUR)

4. Meanwhile, make the syrup by gently heating 50ml water with the sugar and vanilla in a pan until the sugar dissolves.
Set aside.

Once the cake is out of the oven, leave to cool for 30 mins in the tin, then use a skewer to poke holes all over the cake, going right to the bottom. Pour the syrup over, letting it completely soak in after each addition. Leave to cool completely, then either wrap the cake well or fill and ice it.

If you wrap it with baking parchment and cling film, the unfilled cake will keep well for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to a month

NOTE: I USED A SIMPLE VANILLA GLAZE :)

BASIC BUTTERCREAM:
A good, basic vanilla buttercream

Put 175g soft unsalted butter into a large bowl. Beat with electric beaters for a few secs until pale. Gradually add 300g sifted icing sugar, a spoonful at a time. Keep beating until mixture is pale and creamy. BEAT IN 1 TSP VANILLA. Makes enough to cover a 20cm cake. Will keep in fridge for 1 week. Bring back to room temperature and beat well before using.