cream cheese sponge cake

Another day, another cake. I had a packet of cream cheese in the fridge that was crying out to be baked into something. Or maybe the truth was that I was feeling a little grumpy with a cold and had nothing for morning tea. I searched the internet for a sponge cake baked with cream cheese. And I found lots of american recipes for Cream cheese pound cake which is baked in a ring tin. Unfortunately I don't have a ring tin or bundt pan. So I decided to make the recipe lighter with self raising flour and bake in a large flat tin

And despite taking that gamble it was a lovely cake. Lighter than the pound cake would have been, cooked in less time and absolutely delicious. Now don't freak out over the quantities of....ahem......fats in the recipe aka butter and cream cheese. There is a lot of cake to go around with this recipe and it tastes so light you'd never know.

375g butter, softened

250g cream cheese, softened
3 cups caster sugar
2 cups self raising flour, sifted
1 cup plain flour, sifted
6 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla paste (or extract/essence)

Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth then gradually add in sugar and beat until light and fluffy. This doesn't take long but you do need to scrape down the bowl once or twice. Now add in your eggs two at a time. Beat gently after each addition. Add in vanilla and beat a couple of seconds. Add the flour one cup at at time and beat after each addition.

Spread into lined large rectangular cake tin. Now I think I had a few air bubbles in there so smooth out the mixture in the tray and tap tray gently on your bench if you want to remove any air bubbles. Bake in 160 degree oven for about 50-60 minutes until the top of your cake is a nice golden colour and a knife comes out  clean. Lift out by baking paper and cool on rack. Cut and serve. I  think this would be delicious with a serve of berries or a dollop of cream. Or both.

And just remember to forget the amount of butter! OK?