Join us in celebrating our 12th anniversary! Create our rainbow-rippled sponge and ice with vanilla buttercream. Top with colorful sprinkles to give it a festive kitsch finish.
* 375g softened salted butter plus an extra tin
* 375g Golden caster sugar
* six large eggs at room temperature
* 375g of self-raising wheat flour
* 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
Use 150ml of milk-blue and-pink food coloring (see right tip)
* sprinkles to decorate
The icing
* 250g softened salted butter
* 400g icing sugar, sifted
Vanilla pods: 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped off
* 100g full-fat cream cheese
1) Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/gas 4. Bake three 20cm sandwich cake tins lined with baking paper. Butter them and line the tins.
2) To make the sponge, use a hand or stand mixer to beat butter and sugar for 5 to 8 minutes or until fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, whisking well between each addition. To loosen, fold in the milk, flour, and baking powder. Divide the mixture into three bowls and weigh it if desired. Color one batter blue and the other pink. Start with a small amount of coloring, adding more to achieve a darker finish. One of the batter bowls can be left uncolored.
Prepare the three bowls of cake batter and the three cake pans in front of your eyes. Pour a large spoonful of batter into the middle of the first cake tin. Then, pour a pink-colored batter into the second tin and spout plain batter in the third. Add another dollop to each container, working quickly so it doesn’t get too spread out (see the step-by-step pictures, right). Do not wait for the batters to spread or settle. Just keep on alternating colors until the mixture runs out. As you add each layer, the batter will spread. Gently shake and tap the cake tins until the mixture is evened out. Bake in the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the mixture feels firm. Turn the top side down immediately onto wire racks, and allow to cool.
For the icing:
- Put the butter, sugar, and vanille seeds in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or use an electric whisk.
- Beat the mixture for five minutes or until it is fluffy and airy.
- Add the cream and mix briefly.
Spread two tablespoons of buttercream over one of the sponges and repeat the process with the remaining sponges. Use a large pallet knife to spread a layer of icing on the top and sides, leaving some spots un-iced for a “naked” finish. Sprinkles and candles can be added if desired. Keeps for three days in an airtight container.
ASSEMBLING THE MIXTURE STEP BY STEP
1) Divide the mixture into three bowls. One bowl should be dyed a deep shade of blue and the other one dark pink. The third bowl can remain uncolored.
Dollop one spoonful into each tin. Use a different color in each. Then top each with alternate colors.
Continue to alternate the mixtures while still starting at the center.
4) Gently tap and shake the tins to distribute the mixture evenly.
