SUMMER CELEBRATION CAKE
A decadent bank holiday treat...
Celebrate summer with this decadent dessert. Enjoy four delicious layers of heavenly vanilla cake iced with Swiss buttercream and filled with raspberry jam and fresh cream to celebrate a best of British summer.
SERVES 12
PREP: 2 hrs
COOK: 1 hrs
INGREDIENTS
For the cake
-
- 250g softened unsalted butter
- 450g plain flour
- 300g golden caster sugar
- 6 medium eggs
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For the filling
-
- 200ml double cream
- 100g golden caster sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 200g strawberry jam
For the icing
-
- 6 large egg whites
- 400g granulated sugar
- 350g softened unsalted butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Red food colouring
For the decoration
-
- Macarons
- Cake spinkles
METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm non-stick round sandwich tins with baking parchment, then lightly grease the parchment. Using the all-in-one method, tip all of the sponge ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until smooth.
2. Weigh the mixture to work out the total weight, then pour exactly half into a separate mixing bowl. Divide this mixture between the two sandwich tins. Bake on the same oven shelf for 15-20 mins until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean. Gently turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool. Wash the tins thoroughly, and pour the rest of the mixture into the two tins. Bake as before and leave to cool.
3. Move onto the icing by separating the egg whites into a large heatproof mixing bowl. Whisk in the sugar, then set the bowl over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of simmering water over medium heat. Whisk the whites and sugar constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture has thinned out - the mix will be thick and tacky at first, then thin out and be frothy white on top. To test that it’s ready, lightly and quickly dip your finger and rub the mixture between your thumb and finger. You shouldn’t feel any sugar granules.
4. Next, whisk the mixture at a medium-high speed for at least 10-15 minutes, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form and the meringue is no longer warm to the touch. On a medium-high speed, add the butter 1 tbsp at a time, waiting for the butter to fully mix in before adding the next tablespoon. After all the butter has been added, turn the mixer down to medium speed and fully beat in the vanilla and salt. Your Swiss buttercream should now be thick, creamy, and silky smooth. Divide in equally between two bowls leaving half white and colouring half pink by adding a few drops of red food colouring and folding gently.
5. To make the filling, whip the cream with the golden caster sugar and vanilla until it holds its shape.
6. Finally, assemble the cake by layering each tier by spreading one sponge with jam and the other with cream and sandwiching. When all the layers have been built, apply a thin coat of the uncoloured buttercream around the cake, to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth, then chill the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes until the icing is firm to the touch. Add a second, thicker layer of buttercream to the cake, smooth then create evenly spaced grooves in the icing. Add the pink buttercream between the grooves, then smooth again.
7. To finish, top with macarons and coloured sprinkles.
