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Thursday 24 April 2008

Pink & White Celebration Cake



I am celebrating my birthday with a gorgeous pink & white cake that I found again in the wonderful little book called ‘Cakes Galore by Valerie Barrett’, I have adapted the recipe a little to suit my taste and requirements. I just fell in love with all the fluffy pink icing and the chequered-board effect of the sponge *so girly*.

To enhance the flavour of the cake I used all butter throughout and added my own touches of raspberry jam with crème de cassis to sandwich the layers of sponge together with the buttercream, then lastly a few pink sugar decorations for that finishing touch. It was my choice to bake my own birthday cake as hubby had spotted a chocolate cake in our local bakers; however, I needed a good excuse to bake this gorgeous cake didn’t I? *giggle*.

Hubby wanted me to cut into my cake *only because he wanted to sing Happy Birthday or was it the lure of a slice of cake?*, this has enabled me to show you not just the outside of the cake but how it looks from the inside! I will try and describe the cake texture and flavours to you. The buttercream flavour hits the pallet before a subtle flavour of raspberries comes through from the seedless raspberry jam and crème de cassis, the texture of the sponge itself is very light and airy, much like when one thinks of huge fluffy billowing clouds. I am very pleased with the outcome of this cake, as one always wonders what it will turn out like the first time. This cake in my opinion is perfect for any female who adores the girly side in her with delightful shades of pink – “pink rocks”!!!!!!

I have company staying over for a few days and I’ll be found in my little kitchen cooking up a storm. I will be calling by to say hello to you all and view your wonderful creations my ‘dear’ blogging friends in a few days :)





My Adapted Recipe for Pink & White Cake

Ingredients
For The Plain sponges

175g (7 oz) softened butter
175g (7 oz) caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk
175g (7 oz) self-raising flour
For The Pink Sponges
175g (7 oz) softened butter
175g (7 oz) caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk
175g (7 oz) self-raising flour
Edible pink paste food colouring
For The Raspberry Jam Glaze
4 tbsp seedless raspberry jam or conserve
2 tbsp crème de cassis
For The Buttercream Icing
500g (1lb 2 oz) softened butter
1kg (2¼ lb) icing sugar, sieved
Edible pink paste food colouring
For Decoration
Pink sugar and pink sugar balls
Pink Candles & holders
Cake board or serving plate

You will also need 2 x 20cm (8 in) sandwich tins, greased with a little butter and base lined with greaseproof paper. You will use these sandwich tins again to bake the pink sponges after the white sponge you will need to prepare them again as above. You will also need a piping bag fitted with a rose nozzle and a pastry brush, also a 12cm and a 2.5cm plain round cookie cutter.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

For The White Sponge.

In a large mixing bowl add the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy, add the beaten egg a little at a time beating well with each addition until all combined. Next add the vanilla extract and beat in well, gently fold the flour through the mixture until fully incorporated and lastly fold through the milk. Dived the mixture evenly and level the surface with a spatula. Bake in the oven middle shelf for 20 -25 minutes or until firm in the centre with a gentle touch or a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to fully cool.

Wash the sandwich tins up and make sure they are fully cold before preparing them again as above for the pink sponge mixture.

For The Pink Sponge.

In a large mixing bowl add the butter, sugar and edible pink food colouring beating until light and fluffy, add the beaten egg a little at a time beating well with each addition until all combined. Next add the vanilla extract and beat in well, gently fold the flour through the mixture until fully incorporated and lastly fold through the milk. Dived the mixture evenly and level the surface with a spatula. Bake in the oven middle shelf for 20 -25 minutes or until firm in the centre with a gentle touch or a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to fully cool.

For The Raspberry Jam Glaze.

Place the seedless raspberry jam and crème de cassis in a saucepan on a low heat on the stove. Stir the ingredients together until they have combined together then leave aside.

For The Pink Butercream Icing.

Put the butter in a mixing bowl and gradually beat in the icing sugar. Add some edible pink food colouring, mixing well in and leave aside.

To Assemble The Cake.

Place all the sponges on a work surface and using the 12 cm plain round cookie cutter cut out the centre of each sponge, then in the centre of each 12cm circle of sponge cut out 5.5cm of sponge. Carefully lift the central 12cm ring from each cake and replace it with one of the other colour and do the same with the 5.5cm circle of sponge. Place the first layer of sponge on a cake board or serving plate and spread the top of the sponge with the jam then the buttercream. Place an alternative colour sponge on top spreading with jam and buttercream until all four sponges are stacked on top; remember to make sure all sponge cakes are placed alternate for the chequered-board effect.

Spread a little of the buttercream icing over the top of the cake and smooth down with a palate knife. Using a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle fill with buttercream and pipe lines of icing down the sides of the cake until fully covered. Pipe the remaining buttercream icing decoratively in a circle around the centre top of the cake and around the top edge.

Finish off by sprinkling a few pink sugar strands and pink sugar balls onto the decorative piping work around the centre top of the cake and around the top edge.


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36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday hun, hope you have a wonderful day and that the family spoils you rotten! Maureen

Maria♥ said...

WOW oh WOW Rosie, I LOVE this cake and I knew it would turn out just beautiful!! This is definitely my kind of cake too, all pink and girly.

Happy Birthday sweetie and I hope you have a really lovely day!

I have something for you over at my blog ;o)

Hugs
Maria
xx

Vicky said...

Wow Rosie! You have surpassed yourself. A truly special cake for a special birthday. Have a great day. Lots of love,

Vicky xxx

Rosie said...

Hi Maureen, awe thank you so much sweetie xoxox

Hi Maria, thank you sweetie and also for your lovely gifts!! I feel like the Queen today :D

Hi Vicky, thank you sweetie :)

Best wishes Rosie xoxoxox

Nic said...

Many happy returns Rosie!
Your cake is (as ususual) gorgeous, especially the way you did the inside. You sure have a lot of patience!

Silvia - Magnolia Wedding Planner said...

Happy Birhday Rosie!! Wow what a wonderful cake just amazing!!
It's stunning!
Best wishes!
Silvia

Anonymous said...

Wow Rosie, that is a stunning piece of cake art. Well done!!!

Abitofafoodie said...

Happy Birthday to you!
I hope you had a wonderful day and ate plenty of that beautiful cake -how pretty with the pink and white checks!

grace said...

i would say that i'm impressed, but that doesn't even come close to covering it--that cake is phenomenal! i admire your skill and commitment to making such a masterpiece!

and happy birthday to you! :)

Dhivya said...

happy birthday rosie!cake looks out of the world!amazing one:)

Donna said...

It's Your BIRTHDAY??? Secret Keeper!!!! Now the secret's Out and I've marked it in my birthday book!!!
Happy Birthday Dear Friend!!!hughughugs

Anonymous said...

Rosie, Happy B-Day to you! Wish you long and healthy life full of joy and happiness and many years of blogging:) And wow, the cake looks gorgeous!!!! You are so talented!

Cakespy said...

*dies of happiness* THIS IS AMAZING!! Thiebaud would be in awe, and i am saving this as a reference to paint!!

Pixie said...

Happiest of Birthdays to you Rosie! Your cake looks absolutely wonderful - I LOVE IT!

Kelly-Jane said...

Beautiful cake, love the pinkness of it :)

Anna said...

Happy Birthday Rosie!!!
I wish I'd known beforehand and I could have made something in your honour ^_^. But this cake is so beautiful I don't think anything of mine could match up to it - it's stunning!

I think you definitely deserve a great year. Happy Birthday again!
xxx

Deborah said...

What a beautiful cake! A perfect birthday cake!

Unknown said...

WOWZERS Rosie, that cake looks AMAZING!!! I am drooling here..... Well done you! you must be well chuffed with that no?!

Happy birthday!
Loulou xx

test it comm said...

That cake looks amazing! The decoration is so well done. I really like the red and white checkered cake on the inside.

Have a great birthday!

glamah16 said...

So thats how they do it without a special pan. But what are sandwich tins. I cant wait to experiment with this. I would make my own cake too because then I could spluge on some stuff. Happy Birthday.

The Caked Crusader said...

What a gorgeous girly cake!
Happy birthday

Cakelaw said...

This is a truly beautiful cake, a real work of art. A special cake made by a special lady. Happy birthday Rosie!!

Peter M said...

Happy Birthday Rosie and kudos to this visually stunning cake. I'm sure each bite was tastier than the last.

Unknown said...

Wow Rosie, this is great.It is so sweet and lovely cake.Lovely pattern.
Thanks for sharing wonderful recipes.Feels nice to visit ur space.

Rosie said...

Many. Many thanks my ‘dear’ friends for all your birthday greetings and for all your wonderful remarks on my cake :)

Coco sandwich tins are 8in wide by 2in high – I would bake a Victoria sponge in these....

Best wishes Rosie x

Uma said...

what a wonderful cake on your b'day rosie! Very cute like your name.

Gloria Baker said...

Rosie I add my recipe to "Putting up" event if you want to see tomorrow, I made quince's jam and I put your link if somebody want to participate.xxxxGloria
Tell me if is OK.

Gloria Baker said...

Rosie I put yesterday a Happy Birthday to you !! but I dont see, so I make again, Dear Rosie I hope you had a wonderful and nice Birthday!!! with lovexxxxxgLORIA

Rosie said...

Hi Uma, many thanks you are SO sweet :D

Hi Gloria, awe bless the comment you posted above sweetie in the gifts, you didn’t miss out on wishing my a happy birthday hugs hugs hugs xoxoxox
I have also posted on your site on your lovely quince Jam – thank you so much for taking part :D Pixie from You say Tomahto I say Tomayto also hosting this event so could I kindly ask you to mention her too – many, many thanks

Best wishes Rosie x

Ruth Strong said...

What an incredible cake!!!! I'm so impressed! Not only does it look fantastic for all those layers but it's also pink!!!!! Loving it!

I think I'm just making a simple madeira for my cake, running out of time to make anything more complicated!

Namratha said...

A very Happy Birthday to you dear Rosie! :) The chequered cake is perfect!

Swati said...

Wow..thats such a delicious cake..I really wanna give this a try!! I am sure your family loved this .. Lucky people!! Happy belated birthday dear!!

Rosie said...

Thank you So much ladies :)

I just adore madeira to Ruth :)

Best wishes Rosie x

Sophie said...

oooh, now I can't say which cake I like best :P. I loove the checkers. As a huge fan of pink, I can say that I definitely approve of this cake...except it looks like it was really difficult to make, I'd be so afraid of messing it up if I tried baking it myself!

Rosie said...

Hi Sophie, the cake is easy to make all that is needed for the sponges to be cut and put back together and a little butter icing. It doesn't have to be piped you could just smooth it over with a spatula.

Rosie x

Anonymous said...

That looks so good, I can practically taste it from here!!!