August 21, 2021
School Cake!
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A delicious and simple vanilla school cake with icing and sprinkles – the classic easy bake for everyone!
School cake
YES THAT IS RIGHT… THE RECIPE IS FINALLY HERE! School cake!! This, again is one of the most highly requested recipes to go on to my blog, and I thought it was about time… just in time for school starting again this year!
This cake is iconic – and one of the cakes that no matter how ‘plain’ it is – I will ALWAYS want to eat it. There is just something about it. It’s sweet, but delightful. If you haven’t heard of it… you must try school cake now!
Sponge
School cake, for those who don’t know… is a really very simple recipe. It’s a vanilla sponge cake, topped with water icing and sprinkles! It really is that simple. If you include the water as an ingredient for the icing, it is eight ingredients.
The cake is light and moist (if I can use that word…) with the vanilla flavour. You simply have to make a basic cake sponge! Theres something about the vanilla sponge and sprinkles together that tastes DELICIOUS however, if you wanted a chocolate version – follow this recipe here!
Eggs
I have listed 7-8 eggs, as eggs can vary in weight. The best tip, is to weigh your eggs in the shells, to get as close to 400g as possible. Say the eggs weigh 411g, you then need to use 411g butter, sugar and self raising flour!
The equal ratios create the perfect simple sponge that will bake wonderfully and it’s very hard to get wrong! The vanilla extract is optional, but I LOVE it!
Method
To get the perfect bake, you really need to make sure you mix the ingredients properly. I use my stand mixer, but an electric hand mixer works, or even a bowl and spoon. Make sure if you use unsalted block butter that it’s at room temp, but baking spread can be fridge cold.
You beat the butter and sugar together until creamed, light and fluffy. I then add in all the eggs, self raising flour and vanilla and mix again! If mixing with a bowl and spoon, you may want to add these a smidge slower so you don’t get in a complete mess!
Traybake tin and baking
I use a 9×13″ traybake tin to make this school cake, as I use it for all my traybake cakes. I love my chocolate traybake cake, my gin and tonic traybake cake and so on… but this one?! This school cake may be my favourite of all my traybake cakes.
If you aren’t sure on your oven, I always recommend using an oven thermometer so it bakes correctly! An oven I once had to use was 50ºc out! Absolutely awful for baking. After your oven is correctly heated, you want to bake the cake until a skewer comes out clean, and its not making a bubbling/crackling sound when you listen carefully.
If you cake sinks after coming out the oven, it needed longer baking. It really is that simple! It’s still going to be edible, so don’t be disheartened. Baking is all about learning the science behind it!
Decoration
Once the school cake is cooled, you can make the icing. It really is as simple as mixing water into the icing sugar, pouring it over the cake evenly, and sprinkling on some sprinkles! It’s as simple as it can get. I use these sprinkles as they are beautiful, bright and fun! They are 1000% bake stable and UK legal!
The most painful part is waiting for the icing to set a bit so it doesn’t pour everywhere – but it is worth it! This school cake is one of the best bakes ever, and I really hope you love it! Enjoy! x
School Cake!
Ingredients
Cake
- 400 g unsalted butter
- 400 g caster sugar
- 7-8 medium eggs
- 400 g self raising flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing
- 500 g icing sugar
- 4-5 tbsp water
Sprinkles
- Rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan and line a 9x13" traybake tin with parchment paper.
- Beat together your butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, self raising flour, and vanilla extract and beat again until combined well.
- Pour into the tin and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until baked through.
- Once baked, let the cake cool fully in the tin.
For the Icing
- Add the icing sugar to a medium sized bowl, and gradually add the water, mixing well each time, until a thick icing paste is made.
- Carefully spread the icing over the cake evenly.
Sprinkles
- Sprinkle over your favourite rainbow sprinkles!
- Leave the icing to set for about an hour, and enjoy.
Notes
- I recommend using a 9x13" traybake tin for this recipe.
- This cake will last for 3-4 days once made.
- For a 9" square tin - I would recommend a 5 egg/250g sugar/butter/flour mixture. Baked for 35 minutes!
- You can use any sprinkles you like, but I use these sprinkles!
ENJOY!
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J x
© Jane’s Patisserie. All images & content are copyright protected. Do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words and credit me, or link back to this post for the recipe.
Hi Jane!
Could you make half of this recipe and half of the chocolate school cake recipe and then put them together to make a marble tray bake?
For sure!!
Hi Jane, would it be possible to make this a lemon sponge and what would I need to add? Thank you!
Hiya! Lemon Extract should be fine, hope this helps! x
Hey. Was just wondering what the difference is between using unsalted butter and baking butter please. Would it matter if I switched it to baking butter instead please?
Hiya! No, that would be fine! Enjoy! x
Hi Jane I am going to be making this cake as a 2 layer cake made to look like a rugby pitch. How much buttercream do you think I would need to cover it? Thanks.
Can you do this for an 8 inch square tin like the brownie recipe ones? Would this effect quantities of ingredients,
Can I put them in the fridge as the icing sugar have not Hard after 1 hour at room temperature .So I put 4 hours in the fridge n still soft. How I fix it. Will theh get hard 12 hours in fridge as many said don’t put in fridge but room temperature.
Hiya! Water icing doesn’t really harden completely. Hope this helps x
Please could you give me suggestions of how to make a small batch of this! Ideally portions for 2-4.
I made this the other day and it turned out perfectly, oh and was eaten with the same fervour as it took to bake. Love it and all your recipes.
I’m finally going to bake my first school cake 😁 Would it be okay to use a 9×12 inch tin or will I need to reduce the ingredients?
Also, is it okay to use any sprinkles? I know you’ve linked to some but I’m thinking to use cheaper ones if I can! 😂
Hi Kelly
The same ingredients should be fine for a tin which is sso close in size. And any sprinkles. 😊
How can I make this chocolate?
Hiya! take a look at my chocolate school cake recipe. Hope this helps! x
What does it mean if there is loads of bubbles om top whilst baking and when it comes out the oven it sinks? And then doesnt taste soft and fluffy?
Hiya! The bubbles will be due to overtaxing – the sinking could be the same and also taking out the oven too early, and both will change the texture! Hope this helps! x
Hey Jane.
I love this I’ve have made this and everyone loved it. I did have to half all the ingredient due to not having a big enough tin
I was just wondering where could I get a 9×13 tin form? Xxx
Hiya! The one I use is linked on the post, hope this helps! x
Hey I know this might sound a silly question but when you say weigh eggs do you mean in their shells . Love all your bakes ❤️
Yes that is correct! Thank you so much, enjoy! x
Love the old school cake inspiration!
Where do you get your rainbow sprinkles from as I can never find the bold colour sprinkles – it’s driving me mad!
Thank you ☺️
Thank you! They are linked in the post- enjoy! x
Hi Jane, to me this is a star recipe.
Although I am curious of why the light brown sugar (included in the old recipe) was replaced with white?
Thanks for being an inspiration
M
i used self raising flour as told to in the recipe but it seems to have risen quite a lot, whereas in the recipe pictures the cake looks nice and flat on the top. did i do something wrong or did you trim the top of the cake to be more flat?
Hiya! Try baking lower and slower, and leave the cake to cool upside down! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane,
I made this recipe and it tasted amazing, however I wanted to know what weightings to use if I was to bake it in an 8inch square tin, as I could use a smaller portion size for home! x
Hi Jane,
Tried this recipe yesterday and it tastes amazing but I feel like the sponge isn’t as soft as it should be. Do you think this is purely down to over baking or could it be my mixing? I used a spatula and a bowl rather than a mixer? X
Hiya! This could just be down to over baking! Hope this helps! x
I’ve had a disaster with this. I used a 9 x 13 tin but it obviously wasn’t deep enough as a lot of the mixture ended up on the floor of the oven. Did I just not have a deep enough tin!!
Hi there
Could I make a chocolate sponge instead? Remove vanilla and replace with an ounce or 2 of cocoa powder? Maybe some chocolate chips.
Thank you
Hi!
Hope you are well 🙂
Hoping to make this tomorrow for my daughter’s 3rd birthday in a 9 inch round cake tin. What quantities would I need and how long should I cook it for in a fan oven?
Of note – I’m going to try and split the batter into 6 and colour them and then port into the tube one on top of the other. Do you think that will work?
Thanks so much – I REALLY APPRECIATE 🙂
Probably the best sponge Ive made., thanks Jane for a perfect school cake bake!
absolutely gorgeous, so light and fluffy was a massive hit 🙂
If I replace the eggs for aquafaba would it be 3 tablespoons per egg measurement? I will also be using dairy free margarine.
Hi can the school cake be frozen?
Loving the recipe 🙂
Yes absolutely you can freeze this for up to 3 months! Enjoy! x
Hi!
If I’m using 8×12 inch tin do I need to change quantities slightly or just bake it for a bit longer (and how much longer roughly?)
Thank you in advance!
Absolutely love this recipe. Such an old time fave in this house! So easy to make and fun for little ones adding all the sprinkles!!!
Hey Jane, what’s the best way to add the icing so it cuts neatly instead of running down the sides after being cut ?
Hiya! Try adding slightly less water to your icing so it is slightly thicker and therefore hopefully won’t run. Enjoy! x
Would the 9×12 tin work for this too with no adjustments?
Thank you
Made this with my little one this morning and we absolutely love it! so delicious- thanks for sharing the recipe!
Hi Jane,
Can you use large eggs in this recipe? If so would that change the weight of the other ingredients in the cake.
Thanks
Hiya! Yes, use 6-7 Large eggs, everything else will stay the same. Enjoy! x
Can this be frozen ok
Could I use a 10″ by 10″ tin without altering the ingredients? xx
Hello.
I am wanting to use this recipe to make a Spongebob Cake for my daughter’s birthday. Can I make two cakes and stack them, or will it be too big and fall apart?
Just made this but halved the recipe (because I didn’t check if I had enough ingredients! Woops!) And baked for 20 minutes and it is honestly the BEST sponge I have ever baked. So soft and spongey, will definitely make again!
Hi Jane, congrats on the book, my colleagues got it for me and I’ve already made a few bakes from it, all yummy! I’ve just made the school tray bake and decorating it in a Halloween theme for the grandchildren . My daughter made it a while back and said it’s the best cake ever so I thought I’d have a go too. Yes, it’s fab!
Could I put a food colouring into the mixture my grandchildren love this cake so was going to do a Halloween theme on top thanks
Yes you can! Just make sure to use good quality colours!
This sounds amazing. How can I make it gluten free please. Itll be my first attempt of a GF cake. Thank you
Love this recipe! Could I use dairy free butter and the same ingredients for a dairy free version?
Amazing cake! Only made half what the recipe said (as we didn’t need it so big ) and cooker for less time and it Turned out perfect!
Made this cake for my family , they said it’s the
Best evwr cake . I added a little butter to the
Icing , WOW made a difference soooò yummy
Hello! Love your recipes! I wash just wondering when we weigh eggs, is it better to be under or over the recommended amount. Because honestly, I can never get recommended amount, heheheh! Thank you 🙂
When you weigh the eggs, you want them to be as close to the recommended amount as possible. So say the mixture its 250g, and your eggs weigh 260g, use that. Then, match the other ingredients to the weight! Ideally its not too far away from the recommended weight (even if its a little less, or a little more) x
Should eggs be weighed in the shell? 😬
Yes they should!
Just made this cake for the second time in a week, safe to say everyone in my family loves it! Children currently lingering while the icing sets haha! Perfect for school lunchboxes x
Hi Jane,
I love all your recipes, thanks for sharing them with us. Once you have creamed together your butter and sugar and then added the rest of the ingredients, how long do you mix it for? I know the recipe says ‘well combined’ but I’m unsure what this means. I’m so worried about overmixing!
Hi Jane
Congratulations on the book!
If I wanted to make this a a loaf cake, do you think it would work?
Love your recipes! Xxx
Love this recipe. So simple and satisfying. Family winner with this. Made relatively large cuts and still got about 16 pieces put of my square cake tin. My son loved helping put the sprinkles on. Just love your recipes.
Hi my mum made this when I was little I’ve continued to do this for my children and grandchildren. She made it as it was a quick cheap cake to make when money was short .
Looks like a great recipe! Is there a good way to stop the coloured sprinkles from leaking their colour through the icing?! Thanks!
hi i just got your book i have not had time to sit down and give it a good look have gave it a quick flick truth is your school cake in the book thank you for reading this email youes faithfully joan ryan [Mrs ]
Can this be frozen?
Can I ask why the school cake recipe asks for light soft brown sugar? I made this tray bake today, it is lovely but my sponge is definitely deeper in colour than the pictures you’ve shown no doubt because of the light brown sugar.
Oops sorry was meant to be caster haha!
Perfect as always! I made this today and took your advice and weighed the eggs, good thing really as it took 10 eggs xx
Can you provide dry measurements in cups for those of us without a kitchen scale?
I’m going to ask a no doubt stupid question 😬
If I set the oven to 160c fan should the thermometer read 180c or 160c?
The thermometer should read the temperature that the oven should be x
I have tried this with 9 inch tin and less ingredients but wasnt cooked in 35 minutes
Think it will be okay if I just sprinkle choc chips on top of I don’t want the icing sugar?
First time making this recipe, it’s absolutely amazing!!! Turned out perfectly, lovely light sponge 👌😋 Never have any issues with your recipes, always turn out sooo good!! XX
I’ve tried this recipe twice now and it isn’t cooking in the middle? Any tips on what I’m doing wrong?
I’d buy an oven thermometer and check its actually correct – sometimes oven temps can be out by a large amount which can affect cake mixes really badly! x
We did this today and used choc sprinkles as coukdnt find the normal ones. Still tastes lovely!
Hi Jane
Iv noticed you’ve used light brown soft sugar for this recipe – interesting! What difference does that make to the cake as opposed to Caster Sugar? X