Posted By Laura in Family Recipes, Retro School Dinners Recipes | 50 comments
One of my own personal favourites, and as usual so easy you can whip it up yourself or easily cope with small helpers too. My bigger helpers can manage this one on their own. Of course, tray bakes are ideal for school/cubs/scouts/brownies/guides cake requests, but just as good when feeding a hungry horde. If you’re doing this one the proper school dinner way, it MUST be served with a lashing amount of thick custard of choice (try our school dinners pink custard perhaps).
Time to prep – 10 minutes
Time to Bake – 40minutes
What you need:
- 8 oz butter
- 8 oz sugar
- 10 oz SR flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 4 eggs
- Jar of Red jam (Yes it must be red, it’s the rules. Seedless raspberry is best, we think)
- Pack of Desiccated Coconut
What you do:
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4, Fan 170. Grease and line a roasting tin (mine is approx 20cmx30cm) with greaseproof paper.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy – an electric mixer is best for this. Add the eggs one at a time beating well with each addition. If the mixture starts to separate, add a little flour with the egg. Fold in the remaining flour and the baking powder.
- Pour the mixture into the tin and level the surface. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until well-risen and golden, and coming away from the sides of the tin.
- Turn the cake out of the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Spread your jam of choice over the top of the cake and sprinkle with desiccated coconut.
- Cut into individual squares – I usually cut mine in 18.
- To be VERY popular, serve while still slightly warm with custard of choice.
- Sit back and bask in the glow of approval.
You can see our other school dinners recipes here – the cornflake tart is a very popular choice.
Author: Laura
A 70's child, I’ve been married for a Very Long Time, and appear to have made four children, and collected one large and useless dog along the way.I work, I have four children, I have a dog… ergo, I do not do dusting or ironing.I began LittleStuff back in (gulp) 2004.I like huge mugs of tea. And Coffee. And Cake. And a steaming cone of crispy fresh fluffy chips, smothered in salt and vinegar. #healthyeaterWhen I grow up I am going to be quietly graceful, organised and wear lipstick every day. In the meantime I *may* have a slight butterfly-brain issue.
stephanie thomas
7 December 2011
This cake has come out perfect every time,
and the recipe is so easy to follow , not like a lot of the others sites around.
THANK YOUAll i need now is a easy recipe for a nice steak pie as i do not eat
pies from shop’s and never have would love to make my own, so that I know whats in it!!!!!Post a Reply
Elizabeth
18 March 2016
What size baking tray do you use?
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Laura
21 March 2016
Mine’s approx 20x30cm Elizabeth.
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Elizabeth
28 March 2016
I used my grill pan and removed the handle and lined with grease proof paper
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Elizabeth
22 April 2016
I’ve made this delicious cake several times but the last one for some reason was a really thick cake mixture so if it happens again do I add water or milk
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Laura
25 April 2016
I’d add a little milk to loosen it if it’s really thick, but the texture shouldn’t change too much – maybe there was a hiccup in the flour measuring?
Sue Symons
11 October 2016
Trying mine on Friday … Fingers crossed
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Sue Symons
11 October 2016
Trying mine on Friday … Fingers crossed .we used to have pink custard in school many moons ago
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Stephanie Thomas
19 November 2018
8 inches wide 12 inches long and 6 inches In depth thanks X
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Pat
27 September 2016
I used lemon curd instead of jam it was delicious .
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Laura
28 September 2016
Oooh, d’you know I’ve never tried it; but I’m a HUGE lemon curd fan, I bet that tastes gooood!
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pauline
14 February 2020
made this tonight but sunk in the middle why every thing in the date line
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Jeannie Jones
30 May 2020
Is there book we can buy with all our school days favourite recipes please
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Mina Fields
15 February 2012
Wow I had been looking for this recipe for a while and kept coming across lamingtons . I loved this cake at school! Will be making for my son very soon.
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LukesMummy (@Twilight_Deb)
24 March 2012
@OneDad3Girls yummy! http://t.co/AdObIaox
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aspiringcook
19 June 2012
Thank you so much for this recipe. I enjoyed this cake thoroughly in school some 21years ago and just fancied it badly @nine months pregnant. My husband did such a wonderful job, its almost better than school’s!. THANK YOU. Perfect recipe;-)
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Laura Barmby
14 March 2016
I’m 8 mnths pregnant and this cake is all I have been able to think about for the past 2 weeks! So glad I have found the recipient. I will be having a go at the weekend :)
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@Superiluminal
12 October 2012
@EaHeartXO here you go: http://t.co/zQ8ImVm1
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Angie
4 December 2012
Great recipe but it doesnt say how much it makes or what size tin to use.
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Laura
30 April 2016
You’re right, I’ve corrected it Angie :)
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Claire
14 December 2012
Love this cake so much, I’ve also made this for the residents of an old peoples home & they all remembered it too :0)
Angie, the recipe states to use a roasting tin, i usually get 18 squares but depends on how large i cut them ;0)
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Debra
1 May 2013
Love these recipes!! does anyone remember the white custard, pure white I might add… thatvwe had with chocolate sponge?? Xx
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Samantha walding
14 April 2014
Hi, have you got a recipe for the school sponge ( mint ) ( plain ) ( chocolate )
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nazmin
25 May 2014
what type of flour do you need to use self raising or plain?? I’m guessing it’s properly self raising but just to be sure…
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Yes Nazmin, SR flour for sponges. :)
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Mads
4 February 2016
Hi, is that 20 mins to bake or 35/40?
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Laura
4 February 2016
Oh, good spot, thank you. It’s 35-40 minutes, the 20 minute at the top has been amended!
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Debi
21 April 2016
What an easy cake too make, although when you add the flour I find it gets very heavy and doughy so I add a few drops of milk to help with the folding in, everyone in the house enjoys this cake plus the dogs x
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Heidi
2 July 2016
I wanted to know what shelve in the oven I have to bake on please
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Laura
4 July 2016
I have a fan oven, it’s been a long time since I cooked on gas! But I’d definitely go for the middle shelf, and keep an eye on it towards the end of the cooking time.
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plasterer bristol
21 September 2016
We made this yesterday and boy was it good. Thanks for sharing this. Simon
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Laura
21 September 2016
My pleasure – nothing beats it for a comfort eat!
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Jay
1 October 2016
What size eggs do you use? I just tried medium but it came out like a batter,seemed too thick
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Laura
3 October 2016
I’d say mine are usually large – I keep chickens, so they aren’t size-graded, but I’m guessing they’d rank as large.
If your mix is a little thick you can loosen with a splash of milk.Post a Reply
fred
16 February 2017
i have been looking for this for ages and thanks to you I can try and make it since losing my wife 18 months ago I have started making allsorts but this was one of the best pudding I can ever remember and now I have the chance to relive my school pudding
thank youPost a Reply
Laura
17 February 2017
I’m so sorry to hear about your wife Fred – rest assured this is the easiest and most comforting of comfort foods you can bake :)
Let us know how it goes!Post a Reply
Yvonne
27 February 2017
Hi there i made my cake today 27/02/17 and i put pineapple jam on it sprinkled with coconut, it was divine, yum yum, everyone liked it, i will be baking this a lot more times, Thanks for the recipe.
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Laura
28 February 2017
PINEAPPLE jam? That’s a stroke of genius! Oh, am going to have to try a Caribbean version now…
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Merrell Brophy
9 August 2017
Hi what sugar do you use? Also butter, salted or unsalted or do you use something like stork for cakes? Want to make this cake today
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Laura
9 August 2017
Hi Merrell
I use granulated or caster sugar, whichever is to hand. And I only ever have salted butter in the fridge, so that’s what I use :)Post a Reply
Dawn
23 October 2017
I’ve just turned mine out onto a wire rack and I can’t wait for it to cool off so I can add the jam and coconut on top. I’m seriously considering eating it all myself and not telling anyone I made it.
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Laura
20 October 2017
Do it Dawn, do it…
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Lisa
19 December 2018
I made this today and came out perfect ??
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Laura
12 May 2020
I’m so glad!
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Suzanne
12 February 2019
Success! Best cake recipe I’ve tried in a long time. Thanks ?
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Laura
12 February 2019
Brilliant, glad it was a success!
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Andrea
31 March 2019
Do you think I could cook this in a table top halogen oven?
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Jeannie Jones
30 May 2020
They all sound delicious let me know if there is a cook book out or I can buy to keep them all
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Jane Richmond
28 June 2020
Absolutely delicious. I also did mine with a cooked pastry base, spread with raspberry jam and then the sponge on top. Takes longer but worthwhile.
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Laura
30 June 2020
oh, see you’re taking it up a level there. I like your style.
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