Vanilla birthday cake recipe

• 225 g (7.9oz) margarine or unsalted butter, softened
• 225 g (7.9oz) caster sugar
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 225 g (7.9oz) self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp full-fat milk
• 500 g (17.6oz) icing sugar
• 125 g (4.4oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tbsp full-fat milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp strawberry jam
• 1 cup sprinkles

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
2. In the bowl of a free-standing mixer, cream the margarine or butter and sugar together until pale, light and fluffy.
3. Gradually add the beaten eggs and vanilla extract.
4. Add the flour and milk and mix until light and fluffy.
5. Divide equally between the prepared sandwich tins, spread level and bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for about 2225 minutes until golden and a skewer comes away clean when inserted into the middle of the cakes.
6. Turn the cakes out of the tins onto a wire cooling rack and leave until cold.
7. To make the buttercream, tip all of the ingredients into the bowl of the free-standing mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
8. Lay one cake layer on a serving plate and spread with half of the buttercream.
9. Top with strawberry jam.
10. Spread the second cake layer with the remaining buttercream and finish with a circle of sprinkles around the outside edge, using your second hand as a guide to control the flow.
11. Sandwich the two sponges together carefully and finish with a ribbon if you like.

margarine, caster sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, fullfat milk, unsalted butter, fullfat milk, vanilla, strawberry jam, sprinkles

Taken from www.lovefood.com/guide/recipes/22180/vanilla-birthday-cake-recipe (may not work)