Cottage Pudding (Cake for Strawberry Shortcake)

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 egg
• 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch square cake pan.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat sugar and shortening together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Mix in flour mixture, alternating with milk, until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cake in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.