Recipe: Donna Hay's Best Vanilla Cake

Introduce your kids to the wonderful world of cooking with this child-friendly recipe from Donna Hay's cookbook Basics to Brilliance Kids.

Serves 8

Ingredients

CAKE

125g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1½cups (225g) self-raising (rising) flour, sifted

1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon baking powder

3 eggs

½ cup (125ml) milk

VANILLA ICING

2 cups (500g) fresh ricotta (creamy-yum)

80g cream cheese, softened

¼ cup (60ml) light agave syrup (subtly sweet)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Lightly grease a 20cm round cake tin and line with non-stick baking paper.
   
   
2. Place the butter, flour, sugar, vanilla, baking powder, eggs and milk in a large bowl and, using a whisk, mix together until well combined.
   
   
3. Pour the cake mixture into the tin, smooth the top and bake for 45 minutes, or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Wearing oven gloves, remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
   
   
4. To make the vanilla icing, place the ricotta, cream cheese, agave and vanilla in a bowl and whisk together using a hand-held mixer until smooth and well combined.
5. Place the cake on a cake stand or plate. Using a palette knife or spatula, spread half the vanilla icing over the top, then spread the remaining icing around the sides of the cake before serving.

Recipe extract from Basics to Brilliance Kids by Donna Hay. Published by HarperCollins, RRP $49.99.