Basic Sponge Pudding

Directions

1. 1
   Heat oven Gas 4/355F degrees.
2. 2
   Well butter 2 1/2 to 3 inch deep pie dish.
3. 3
   Cream together the butter or margarine and sugar.
4. 4
   Add eggs one at a time with a little flour until smooth.
5. 5
   Add remaining flour, baking powder (if used) and salt, beating well.
6. 6
   Add the milk, and beat again.
7. 7
   Pour mixture into dish and smooth the top.
8. 8
   Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until well risen and brown.
9. 9
   Variations to the Basic Sponge: Sultana Sponge; Put 2 oz sultanas in the bottom and around the sides of a well buttered dish, pour on the mixture.
10. 10
    Apricot Sponge: Add 3 soaked apricots chopped small, to the mixture, put 3 or 4 apricot halves in the bottom of the dish, pour on the sponge mixture.
11. 11
    Jam Sponge: Put 3 or 4 tblsp of any kind of jam in the bottom of the dish, pout on the sponge mixture.
12. 12
    Syrup Sponge: Put 1 tblsp of golden syrup in the bottom of the dish, pour on mixture.
13. 13
    Chocolate Sponge; Substitute 1 tblsp cocoa for 1 oz.
14. 14
    flour, sieving it with the flour.
15. 15
    Ginger Sponge; Add 1 tspn ground ginger to the flour and use 4 oz golden syrup instead of sugar, melted in warmed milk.
16. 16
    Black Cap Pudding:Put a tblspn cleaned currants in the bottom of the dish, pour on the mixture.