Nigella Lawson’s easy birthday buttermilk cake

This cake is ideal for any birthday cake you want to make in a special mould as it holds its shape brilliantly. But you don’t have to wait for someone’s birthday - it’s a great recipe to cook with the kids at any time …

Serves 10

250g plain flour 1/2 tsp baking powder1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda1 tsp salt 200ml buttermilk (or 75g yogurt mixed with 125ml semi-skinned milk) finely grated zest of an unwaxed lemon, plus 1-2 tbsp lemon juice125g softened butter, plus extra for greasing200g caster sugar 3 large free-range eggs icing sugar and ready-to-roll icing to decorate

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Butter a 23cm ring mould cake tin.Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate and salt together. Mix the buttermilk (or yogurt mixture) and lemon zest.

Cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a little of the flour with the last one. Gradually add the rest of the flour with the buttermilk, one after the other, until thoroughly mixed.

Pour into the tin and bake for about 30 minutes or until well risen and pale golden brown. Loosen the sides of the cake with a round-bladed knife and turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

When cold, drizzle with icing sugar mixed with lemon juice – get the kids to help - and decorate with ready to roll icing.