If you’re looking for an easy quick cake recipe then you must try this vanilla sponge cake also known as school cake or old school cake here in the UK. The cake is made using a simple vanilla batter and includes a thin layer of icing with some sprinkles on top.

This cake takes me back to school days as it was a popular dessert served at school when I was a child. The school cake was regularly served with custard but I enjoyed it best on its own.

What I love about this school cake is that’s it’s so simple but at the same time so delicious. Its super easy to make and is not too time consuming.

This old school cake is perfect for the whole family and can be served as an after-dinner dessert. It is soft, fluffy and ever so moreish so you may have problems stopping at one slice.

Ingredients for Old School Cake

Please find the full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Baking spread - for this old school cake recipe, I use stork margarine.
Sugar - use caster sugar or superfine sugar.
Eggs - bring eggs to room temperature.
Vanilla - use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
Milk - use any milk at room temperature.
Flour - I use self-raising flour but you can use plain flour with baking powder.
Icing sugar - also known as powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar to make the icing.
Milk - or water to mix to icing sugar.
Sprinkles - use rainbow sprinkles.

How to Make Old School Cake

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/350^oF/180^oC/160^oC fan and line a 9 x 9-inch baking tin with parchment paper.

2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the baking spread and sugar until lightly and fluffy. Set aside for a minute and whisk the eggs together in a separate bowl.

3. Pour the whisked eggs into the bowl with the baking spread and sugar along with the vanilla extract then mix until smooth.

4. Mix in the milk then fold in the flour and continue to mix until you have a smooth batter. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and bake for 35 - 40 minutes. Place the tin on a cooling rack and allow the cake to completely cool.

5. Add the icing sugar to a bowl then gradually add the water or milk while mixing until smooth and lump free. Spread the icing evenly on top of the cake and finish off with the sprinkles. Allow the icing to set before cutting into 16 pieces.

Nutrition

Storage

You can store this cake at room temperature in an airtight container for around 2 days. After this time, store any leftover cake in the fridge for up to 4 days.

If the weather is hot and humid then store in the fridge on day 1. Ensure you bring the cake to room temperature before serving from the fridge.

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Easy Old School Cake

If you’re looking for an easy quick cake recipe then you must try this vanilla sprinkle cake also known as school cake or old school cake here in the UK.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Author: Andrea

Yield: 16 servings

Calories: 298kcal

Ingredients

For the Cake

240g baking spread (stork in a tub) room temperature
240g caster sugar
4 medium eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
80ml whole milk room temperature
270g self-raising flour

For the Icing

250g icing sugar
4 - 6 tablespoon water or milk
1½ tablespoon rainbow sprinkles

Instructions

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/350^oF/180^oC/160^oC fan and line a 9 x 9-inch baking tin with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, cream together the baking spread and sugar until lightly and fluffy. Set aside for a minute and whisk the eggs together in a separate bowl.
Pour the whisked eggs into the bowl with the baking spread and sugar along with the vanilla extract then mix until smooth.
Mix in the milk then fold in the flour and continue to mix until you have a smooth batter. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and bake for 35 - 40 minutes. Place the tin on a cooling rack and allow the cake to completely cool.
Make the icing: Add the icing sugar to a bowl then gradually add the water or milk while mixing until smooth and lump free. Spread the icing evenly on top of the cake and finish off with the sprinkles. Allow the icing to set before cutting into 16 pieces.