Baking # 1 - My Sister Reyes's Favourite Cake

I have recently begun a club at work called the "Hush hush cake club". There's 8 of us, 7 girls and a very brave guy who are determined to eat cake (or cupcakes, flapjacks, brownies, you get the idea) once a fortnight. All our names are on a rota, and every 2 weeks, someone has to cook and bring in cake for the rest of the club to enjoy mmm...! So, as it was my idea, tomorrow morning I'll be first to bring cake into work for the club. I had thought of making my speciality - Portuguese custard tarts - but was stuck in the office until well over 9pm so it was clear that there was only one cake I would (a) have ingredients at home for and (b) be able to bake in a jiffy: my sister Reyes's favourite cake!

Ingredients:

* 2 cups self-raising flour

* 1 cup sugar (I usually use only 3/4 cup because otherwise I find it a bit too sweet)

* 1/4 cup oil

* 1 cup milk

* 2 eggs

* 1 tsp cinnamon / 1 tsp mixed spice / 1 tsp vanilla extract (whichever you prefer - isn't it brilliantly versatile?!)

First, preheat oven to 180, and sift dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon and create a well in the centre. I used mixed spice for this cake.

Then mix wet ingredients and slowly start combining them both together until you have a slightly runny mixture.

Transfer mixture in cake tin (I used a disposable paper one because it's easier to transport into work tomorrow) and then place in middle shelf in oven and bake for approx. 50 minutes without the fan, 40 min with fan, or until a skewer comes out clean.

My house now smells of spices... and there's cake... and I'm hungry... and, let's face it, I KNEW it wouldn't last intact until tomorrow morning!