How to make two 500 grammes Sultana/Raisin Cakes
Recipe for Sultana Cake
Sultana cake is a cake traditionally eaten at New Year in Scotland but it is a popular cake throughout the year. It is relatively easy to make but you will feel well-rewarded when it emerges from the oven. The mix should yield two 500g loaf cakes, and it can be made by hand or by a conventional mixer using a beater attachment.
There are three parts of the process of making sultana cake
- Weighing and preparing the ingredients
- Mixing the cake batter
- Scaling the batter and baking the cake
1. Weighing and preparing the ingredients
You will need four separate containers for the ingredients. One containing the sugar and margarine, one containing the eggs, yellow colouring, and vanilla essence, one containing the flours, and one for the sultanas. As part of the preparation, you should set the oven to 380 degrees Fahrenheit (195 Centigrade), and line the loaf tins with silicone or greaseproof paper.
The recipe is as follows:
Castor Sugar, 180 grammes (gs.)
Margarine, 180 gs.
Eggs, 240 gs. (warmed)
A couple of drops of vanilla essence and yellow colouring
Cake (soft) flour, 240 gs.
Self-raising flour, 30 gs.
Sultanas, 360 gs.
2. Mixing the Cake Batter
Use the 'sugar batter' method for best results. So, cream together the sugar and margarine, and scrape down once the mixture is light. Fold in half the amount of flour and mix in, scrape down the mixture and then add the eggs (which should be warmed, and have the vanilla essence and yellow colouring added) in 3 or 4 lots, slowly whilst mixing. Once the mix appears clear, stop and scrape the bowl down. Mix for a couple of minutes on slow speed or gently by hand to achieve a smooth batter with no residue at the sides of the bowl. Then add the remainder of the flour, and mix in until clear. Scrape down the bowl and fold the sultanas into the mix by hand, ensuring an even distribution. Sultanas can be washed if necessary but ensure they are dried thoroughly before adding to the mix.
3. Scaling the batter and baking the cake
Weigh the batter at 500 grammes into the paper lined tins, and level out the batter with the back of your hand. Bake at 380 Fahrenheit (195 Centigrade) for 75-90 minutes; reduce the temperature if you are using a fan-assisted oven. After approximately 40 minutes, cover the cake with foil to avert the risk of a burnt top. Test if ready by inserting a skewer or cocktail stick into the cake: if it comes out wet, it is not ready; if dry, take the cakes out of the oven.
Take the cakes out of the tins immediately and leave them to cool on a wire rack. You should have two excellent sultana loaf cakes!
