How to Make School Cake

School cake is a beloved British classic that brings a flood of nostalgic joy with every bite. Soft, fluffy sponge topped with a thick layer of icing and a generous scatter of colourful hundreds and thousands, it is the sort of treat that once sat proudly on a metal tray in school dinner halls across the UK. Served warm with custard or enjoyed on its own, school cake is simple, sweet and impossibly comforting.

Whether you are craving a trip down memory lane or introducing the next generation to this teatime treasure, making school cake at home is both easy and satisfying. It is the perfect bake for birthdays, bake sales or just a cosy afternoon with a cuppa.

What Is School Cake?

School cake is a basic vanilla traybake sponge, often made in large slabs and sliced into generous squares. It is defined by its sweet white icing and the cheerful crunch of rainbow sprinkles. Unlike more elaborate celebration cakes, school cake is deliberately plain but always soft and indulgent, thanks to a classic sponge mix and the addition of simple decorations.

Served warm with pink or yellow custard, it turns into a decadent pudding. Served cool from the tin, it becomes an everyday treat that tastes like childhood.

Ingredients You Will Need

The beauty of school cake lies in its simplicity. You will only need self-raising flour, caster sugar, unsalted butter or margarine, eggs, vanilla extract and a splash of milk for the sponge. For the icing, icing sugar and a little water will do the trick, along with plenty of hundreds and thousands or colourful sugar strands to finish.

You can make it all in one bowl, and you do not need any special equipment beyond a baking tin and a whisk or wooden spoon.

How to Make the Sponge

Start by preheating your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and greasing or lining a rectangular baking tin. A 9x13 inch tray works well for a good slab.

In a mixing bowl, beat together 250g of softened butter and 250g of caster sugar until light and fluffy. Add four eggs, one at a time, beating well between each. Stir in a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Fold in 250g of self-raising flour and a splash of milk to loosen the batter if needed. You want a smooth, soft mixture that drops easily from the spoon.

Pour into your prepared tin, level the top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. A skewer should come out clean when inserted into the centre. Let the sponge cool completely before icing.

Making the Icing and Decoration

In a bowl, mix 200g of icing sugar with just enough water to form a thick, spreadable icing. Add the water gradually, half a teaspoon at a time. The icing should be opaque and sit nicely on top of the sponge without running off the edges.

Spread the icing over the cooled cake using a palette knife or the back of a spoon. Immediately sprinkle generously with hundreds and thousands while the icing is still wet so they stick.

Leave the icing to set at room temperature before slicing into squares. If you want to recreate the full school dinner experience, warm up a portion and serve with custard. Otherwise, enjoy it as a sweet snack or lunchbox filler.

Flavour Twists and Extras

While classic school cake is vanilla through and through, you can add a few extras if you like. Swap a little flour for cocoa powder to make a chocolate version, or fold in a handful of glacé cherries or sprinkles to the batter for a funfetti twist.

Some bakers like to colour the icing pink or pale yellow to match the school dinner custards of the past. Others make their own pastel custard from scratch using custard powder, sugar and a few drops of food colouring.

Dietary Adaptations

For a dairy-free version, use a plant-based margarine and dairy-free milk. The sponge is quite forgiving and works well with oat or almond milk. To make it gluten-free, use a gluten-free self-raising flour and check that your sprinkles and icing sugar are suitable. You can also replace the eggs with a vegan alternative such as mashed banana or a flaxseed mix, although the texture will be slightly different.

Final Thoughts

There is something wonderfully heartwarming about school cake. Its simplicity, cheerful appearance and soft sponge are timeless. Whether you serve it at a party, pop a piece in a lunchbox or sit down with a square and a mug of tea, it is one of those bakes that never fails to put a smile on your face. Just add custard and enjoy the sweet taste of nostalgia.