MUM’S VANILLA TEA CAKE

 

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This Recipe Makes 16 Small Squares

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A Slice of Home: Mum’s Classic Vanilla Tea Cake

There are some recipes that don’t just feed your body—they nourish your soul. For me, that recipe is Mum’s Vanilla Tea Cake. Simple, comforting, and filled with love, it was the cake that greeted us after school, the centerpiece of weekend teas, and the scent that made our house feel like home.

The Charm Is in the Simplicity

No fancy frosting. No elaborate technique. Just honest ingredients—flour, sugar, eggs, butter, oil and that hint of vanilla that wraps around you like a warm hug. That’s what makes this cake special. Mum always said, “Let the ingredients speak for themselves,” and in this cake, they really do.

A Memory in Every Bite

I still remember watching her in the kitchen, apron dusted with flour, humming quietly as she mixed the batter by hand. She’d let me lick the spoon, of course. That was half the fun. The other half? Waiting impatiently by the oven until the golden dome had risen and the whole house smelled like pure comfort.

Perfect for Every Occasion (or No Occasion at All)

This cake isn’t just for birthdays or holidays. It’s for slow Sundays, for friends dropping by, or those quiet evenings when a slice of cake and a cup of tea is exactly what you need. It’s timeless, like Mum.

Mum’s Vanilla Tea Cake Ingredients:

• 1 ½ tablespoons softened butter or margarine
• ⅓ cup white granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
• ½ teaspoon yellow food colouring (egg yellow)
• ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup (250 grams) all-purpose or cake flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup (250ml) full cream milk 
  
• 100’s and 1000’s sprinkles

Method:

1. 1. Preheat your oven to 180°Celsius (350°Farenheit). Grease a baking pan with spraying oil and set aside until ready to use. I used a 4x22x23cm square pan.
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   3. 
   4. Add the butter or margarine and sugar to a mixing bowl. I did initially use ¼ cup of sugar, but I found that it wasn’t as sweet, so if you prefer it less sweet you can always adjust the amount.
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   6. Cream together using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer.
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   8. Add the vanilla essence, yellow food colouring, vegetable oil and crack in an egg. The food colouring is optional, it just adds a yellow hue to the cake, you may omit it or add less for a lighter coloured cake.
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   10. Whisk together until combined.
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   12. Add in the all-purpose or cake flour and baking powder.
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   14. Pour in the milk – I used cold milk straight out of the fridge.
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   16. Fold together until it forms a batter, the batter shouldn’t be too thick or too weak.
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   18. 
   19. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. It’s going to look a bit shallow, but it will rise when baking, alternatively you can use a smaller baking pan for a much higher cake.
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   21. Next, sprinkle over the 100’s and 1000’s coloured sprinkles – this can be found at your local grocery store in the baking aisle.
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   23. 
   24. Add as much or as little as you want.
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   26. Bake in the preheated oven at 180°Celsius (350°Farenheit) for 20-25 minutes or until the cake is cooked throughout.
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   28. The cake is cooked when you poke a toothpick or knife through & it comes out clean without any batter.
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   30. 
   31. Allow the cake to cool slightly before cutting into it.
   32. 
   33. I opted to cutting it into 16 small squares. Perfect for a teatime treat.
   34. 
   35. Serve my Mum’s Vanilla Tea Cake with a hot cuppa and enjoy!
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   38. This tea cake can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for a week.
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   40. It is so fluffy and moist, it definitely brings back childhood memories.
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