Prepping

Cup of Yum
1. If the eggs are fridge-cold, remove them from the fridge approximately 30 minutes before you start to bake. Alternatively, place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes to bring them to room temperature more quickly.
2. Heat the milk in the microwave or a small saucepan until it starts to simmer. Allow it to cool to a lukewarm temperature that you can insert a clean finger into without burning.
3. Line the baking tin with baking paper (see 'Equipment' above for the baking tin size).
4. If you are adding lemon zest to the cake batter, zest the lemon now.

Making the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 170℃/338℉/gas mark 3.
2. Add the granulated sugar, room-temperature eggs and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl.
3. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract together until the mixture is thick, fluffy and very pale in colour. You should notice trails in the mixture left by the beaters. This will take a minimum of 5 minutes of beating.
4. In a separate bowl or jug, combine the oil and lukewarm milk. Whisk together with a fork until reasonably well blended.
5. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
6. Add half of the sifted flour mixture to the eggs and sugar mixture and beat on a very low speed using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer. Stop as soon as the dry ingredients have been incorporated.
7. Next, add half of the milk and oil mixture and beat again at a low speed. Stop as soon as the liquids have been incorporated.
8. Repeat these steps one more time for the remaining flour and liquid ingredients. Beat on low speed after each addition and be careful not to overbeat.
9. If you're including lemon zest, add it at this point and beat it in briefly.
10. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and tap it gently on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.
11. Bake on the middle oven shelf for 35-40 minutes until the top of the golden brown cake springs back when touched and a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. Test doneness at 35 minutes. If your oven runs hot, test earlier at 30 minutes or use a lower oven temperature to begin with.
12. Let the baked cake cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes before flipping it upside down onto a cooling rack.
13. Carefully peel off the parchment paper, paying extra attention to the corners where the cake might have baked into the folds of the paper. Set the cake aside to cool fully while we make the icing.Note: We will frost the cake on the bottom side, which is why we turned it upside down. This ensures a smoother and flatter surface for icing.

Making the pink icing

1. Place the berries in a small bowl and pour the lemon juice or water over the top. Give it a quick stir.
2. Microwave the berries for 1 minute, stirring halfway through. If the berries are still quite firm, microwave for 15 seconds more.
3. Use a fork to mash and squash the berries to release their juice. 
4. Strain the berries through a sieve, reserving the juice and discarding the pulp.
5. Add the icing sugar to a large bowl. It's not necessary to sift it if your icing sugar is fresh and fluffy, but if it's lumpy, definitely sift it.
6. Start by adding about 3 tablespoons of the berry juice (or water) to the icing sugar and mix it through with a fork.
7. Add more liquid slowly until the icing reaches the thickness you prefer. It needs to be a thick but spreadable icing. Around six tablespoons of liquid usually does the trick.
8. Check if the cake has fully cooled down, then scoop the icing onto the surface of the cake.
9. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the icing evenly across the top of the cooled cake, making sure to reach the corners and sides. If the icing is a bit runny, apply it slightly inward, as it tends to spread on its own.
10. You can now sprinkle some desiccated coconut or sprinkles over the top of the cake if you wish, or leave it plain.