Butter Cake

I know I've been posting lots of virtuous bakes lately and yes of course this isn't a sliming cake but sometimes a little of what you fancy does you good! Plus it's my D-I-L birthday today and this is her most favourite type of cake (a girl after my own heart). It's a very moist and buttery in flavour cake that's quite dense in texture. 

200g S/R flour
180g Vanilla infused caster sugar
150g salted softened butter
3 eggs
100ml of milk (I use semi skimmed, full fat works also, but I wouldn't use skimmed)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
500g  icing sugar
6 pansies (or sugar decorations)

You will also need a greased and lined 18cm loose bottomed tin.

Preheat the oven  170˚c

Start by creaming together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Now slowly add the eggs with a couple of teaspoons of the flour, fold in half the flour, then stir in half the milk, next fold in the other half of the flour and baking powder, finally stir in the rest of the milk.

Pour into the lined tin and bake at 170˚c for about 55-70 mins or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes away clean. If the cake starts to colour to quickly cover with foil.

Cool on a wire rack until completely cold, mix the icing sugar with a little water (and food colour if using) to a thick paste (see tip below) Drizzle over the cake allowing to run down the sides. Decorate with either fresh or sugar flowers. Leave to set before serving.