cooking cakes without scales

[bednobs]

just going to do some baking and scales are broken - i have a recipe that uses cups but i was surprised to see that it's 1 cup of flour and sugar and 1/2 cup butter - do those proportions sound right? I thought butter/sugar/flour were all the same?

[mazie]

when I make a Victoria Sponge, yes, all the same 8oz Flour, 8oz caster sugar, 8oz butter.

[pastafreak]

Chances are that if a recipe uses cups,it's American. Also-they do not necessarily use the same proportions in cakes.
What sort of cake is it?

[bednobs]

just ordinary fairy cakes

[pastafreak]

Hmmmm...I am thinking that the dry ingredients may not weigh the same volume-wise as the butter....a cup of sugar may weigh the same a 1/2 cup of butter...?

[mazie]

if you have an unopened pack of butter thats as near as damn it to 8oz. then 8 heaped tablespoons of Flour and the same with the sugar. A rounded tablespoon should be about an oz. I had to bake without scales the other week when mine broke and this method worked OK for me. Good luck with it bednobs

[bednobs]

how many eggs for those proportions mazie?

[mazie]

4 medium sized eggs or 3 large one are what I use...here's a simple recipe that works, just put into baking cases rather than the 2 tins

http://www.bbc.co.uk/.../victoriasponge_13555

[mazie]

How did they turn out bednobs?

[bednobs]

well, they were ..... okish! thanks for your help :)