I don’t know if you have heard, but apparently it is the Queen’s 90th birthday this year. Her actual birthday is in April but for some reason it is celebrated in June – perhaps hoping for better weather which is actually pretty unlikely at the moment. It is freaking COLD outside. But whether an actual or official birthday what the occasion calls for is, of course, cake! I was lucky enough to attend a Tesco royal cake decorating masterclass hosted by master pâtissier Eric Lanlard recently. Eric knows a thing or two about royal cakes, having delivered a cake for the Queen Mother’s birthday not so long ago. He has teamed up with Tesco to create a ‘Cake fit for a Queen‘ to help everyone celebrate and with two layers of pink velvet, a contrasting layer of chocolate sponge, raspberry conserve, white chocolate buttercream and prosecco flavoured buttercream roses he has definitely outdone himself.
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| Images above ©Tesco |
Eric is always a very charming and engaging speaker and a font of helpful hints when it comes to cake decorating. I must say my cakes have a tendency to be lopsided and his advice to combat this is to bake the cake a day in advance and then level it just before you fill and frost it. Oh and don’t forget to put a little buttercream to stick the cake on your stand or plate to prevent those very entertaining ‘flying cake’ moments – I have had my share of those… Eric got us to decorate vanilla layer cakes and the results where very colourful – practically rave-like in some cases! My cake was very modest and tidy compared to the rest but it won Eric’s seal of approval as I was the lucky recipient of his latest baking book Afternoon Tea
*.
Afternoon Tea is a such beautiful book – illustrated with gorgeous photography by Kate Whitaker (am so in lust with the props used) and with recipes ranging from savoury to sweet there’s really something for everyone. The savoury recipes are particularly innovative: salmon mousse Paris Brest, cacao beef on pain perdu, parma ham and fig macarons as well as many delectable tartlets and mini bites. There’s also a whole section on scones (what Afternoon Tea would be complete without them) and cakes of all shapes and sizes. I have my eye on the chocolate ganache hearts and I really want to recreate the white chocolate and raspberry domes – one of the most complicated recipes. If you would like the chance to win a copy of Eric Lanlard’s Afternoon Tea enter via the giveaway box at the end of the post.
* which creates fairly thin and small (15cm/6in) layers. If you wish to bake a 20cm (8in) cake you will need to double the recipe for the cake and frosting.
3 –16 June 2016 at £10 and serves 14. Items marked with an asterisk are affiliate links.
Vanilla Layer Cake with Cherry Berry Jam and Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Ingredients
- For the cake layers
- 165 g | 5.8oz plain all purpose flour
- 165 g | 5.8oz caster sugar
- 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 100 g | 3.5oz cold unsalted butter cubed
- 2 large eggs
- 100 ml | 3.5 fl oz milk
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or seeds scraped from a vanilla pod
- a little butter and flour to grease the cake tins
- For the filling and frosting
- 250 | 8.8oz icing sugar
- 80 g | 3oz unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2-3 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp cherry or strawberry jam warmed and sieved
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or seeds scraped from a vanilla pod
- cherry or raspberry jam to fill - about 6-8 tbsp
- fresh cherries to decorate
- 1 tbsp strawberry jam warmed and sieved to drizzle on cake optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C | 350F. Grease your cake tins with butter and dust with flour.
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in your stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddke blade. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the eggs and beat again until mixed in. Add the milk, vinegar and vanilla paste and whisk for 2-3 minutes until the batter is smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula to make sure everything is well blended.
- Divide the batter into the prepared tins, do not overfill!, and bake for 15 minutes. The cakes are ready when springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. As the layers are fairly thin make sure not to overbake.
- Cool on a wire rack and then carefully turn the cakes out of the tins.
- Sandwich the cake layers with a little jam, pressing down on the layers so they stick together.
- Put the icing sugar and butter in your stand mixer bowl and whisk until light and fluffy, gradually adding the milk and vanilla paste until you have the right consistency. Add the sieved jam and continue whisking until everything is well blended.
- Add a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake and then chill or freeze for 30 minutes. Smooth the remaining frosting to cover the cake and drizzle the warmed jam down the sides (optional) then pipe small rosettes all around the outer edge if you like. Decorate with fresh cherries (or berries of choice) and serve.
Gingey Bites says
This cake (as always) looks divine!! I've entered the comp too 🙂
Kate | The Veg Space says
What a stunning cake Lucy, most definitely fit for a Queen. Great tips from the lovely Eric, and your photography is spectacular as ever!
Kate Hackworthy says
Your cakes are always sensational looking! And this one sounds absolutely delicious. Great tips from the lovely Eric, too – thanks for sharing them!
Hannah Hossack-Lodge says
What a beautiful cake! It is perfect for summer and the crumb looks wonderfully soft and moist x
claire says
Wasn't surprised to see your cake uses the reverse method, Lucy. Know you're a fan of the resultant crumb. It reads almost like a vanilla velvet -which has quite the ring to it, no?
And yes, I'd bloody love this book -along with a slice or two of your cake! Eric's sounds amazing too -really hooe he publishes the recipe eventually.
belleau kitchen says
so simple inside (I do love jam and sponge) but such a stunning cake… adorable!
ElizM says
that cake looks amazing!
Iain Maciver says
fab book giveaway
Laura Denman says
Stunning once again. I love the fresh cherries as decorations. It looks so summery but still indulgent