Marmalade cake

• Ingredients
• 
  
  • 225g (8oz) butter or margarine, softened
  • 225g (8oz) caster sugar
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 3 tbsp warm water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 225g (8oz) self-raising flour
  Filling and icing:225g (8oz) butter or margarine, softened
• 225g (8oz) caster sugar
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 3 tbsp warm water
• Pinch of salt
• 225g (8oz) self-raising flour

• 150g (5oz) butter, softened
• 300g (10 ½oz) icing sugar, sieved
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Orange peel, finely grated
• 4-6 tbsp marmalade

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. Grease two 20cm cake tins and line with baking paper.
2. Beat together butter/margarine and sugar until creamy. Add beaten eggs one at a time. Add warm water and salt. Mix in flour and beat well.
3. Pour half the mixture into each tin. Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes, or until golden and risen.
4. Take sponges from tins and leave to cool on wire rack. Remove baking paper after cake has cooled.
5. Cream together butter and icing sugar until mixture is soft. Add two or three drops of vanilla essence and sandwich the sponge halves together with layer of marmalade and thin layer of buttercream.
6. Spread butter cream thickly on top of cake and sprinkle with orange peel.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 fluid ounce red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with 20 paper baking cups.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, red food coloring and vanilla. Stir in the baking soda and vinegar. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt; stir into the batter just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter and frost with desired frosting.