Method (Sponge):
-Preheat the oven to 180C (375F, gas mark 4)
-Grease and line two 8 inch cake tins (if you only own one tin, you can bake the sponge and slice in half)
-Cream the caster sugar, vanilla essence and softened unsalted butter until light and fluffy
-In a separate bowl whisk the eggs
-Gradually add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, to avoid the mixture curdling
-Sieve the flour and fold into the mixture
-Divide the cake mix between the two cake tins and smooth
-Place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the cake appears golden brown
-Insert a skewer and ensure it comes out clean
-Remove the sponges from their tins and leave to cool
source: express.co.uk