Counting the cost

I've made a sponge cake this evening, filled it with strawberry jam and put a sprinkling of caster sugar on the top. It tastes scrumptious. This is made with dairy free margerine and gluten free flour. There are 8-10 portions here, depending on the portion sizes.

Here are the two portions which the FH and I have just enjoyed - he does enjoy sampling the baking!

So, I have thought tonight about the cost of making this cake. All the supermarkets now do extensive (and expensive) ranges of "free from" bakes and cakes, biscuits, pasta, bread, etc. These are very tempting and quite handy sometimes, but I have been trying to avoid them this month especially, because of the cost implications - for example, in the Sainsbury's range, 4 cherry bakewell cakes are £2 (50p each, obviously) and 4 chocolate brownies are £1.93 - 48p each for a tiny slice of (heavenly) chocolate cake that can be downed in three mouthfuls!!

My sponge has cost me in the region of £1.85 for the ingredients:

Vitalite dairy-free margerine @ £1.20 for 500g - I use 200g at 48p

Caster sugar @ £1.79 for 1kg - I use 200g at 36p

Dove's Farm gluten-free flour @ £1.70 for 1kg - I use 200g at 34p

Eggs - this varies widely from 10p each for value ones to 25p each for Free Range, but I sell my eggs to friends and neighbours at £1 for 6 so this costs 67p for this recipe.

Making this with "normal" ingredients for the family would only alter the margerine price to 36p, and the flour price to 7p based on Tesco value self-raising flour at 52p for 1.5kg.

A sponge made for the family with these ingredients would cost £1.46.

Today I filled my sponge with "free" strawberry jam which UJ gave me - it is lovely!!

So I can compare a one-tenth portion of my cake costing me about 18.5p with a cherry bakewell for 50p - and I know which I'd rather have - the home made one every time!!