Pretty spring layer cakes
Pretty, elegant and bursting with springtime, these tiny layer cakes are a delight to make, says Miranda Gore Browne. Perfect for an Easter tea party but equally at home at a wedding, birthday party or christening.
Ingredients
- 500g unsalted butter
- 500g caster sugar
- 2 tsp of vanilla extract or bean paste
- 8 eggs, lightly beaten
- 450g self-raising flour
- 50g cornflour
- 50ml semi skimmed milk
- Gel paste food colourings in green, rose pink and yellow (or orange).
To make the buttercream:
- 600g icing sugar
- 150g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 40ml of semi skimmed milk
Method
- Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla, then add the beaten eggs a little at a time.
- Add the flour and cornflour and mix in on a low speed, before adding the milk and mixing gently to combine.
- Split the cake mixture into three bowls. Dip a cocktail stick into the food gel paste colouring and put a few dabs of green into one bowl. Use a fresh cocktail stick to do the same with the pink into the second bowl of mixture, and then a final cocktail stick to add yellow to the last one. Stir in really well.
- Line three cake tins with non-stick baking paper (I used 3 x 9-inch round tins). Spoon one colour cake mixture into each tin, smooth and spread evenly; it will seem thin, but you will have plenty.
- Bake at 180 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until springy and dry on top.
- Leave to cool in the tins for about 10 minutes before turning on to a rack to cool.
- Use a round cutter to cut circles out of each cake and then use a sharp knife to trim them to equal heights and level the tops.
- For the next stage, make the butter cream. Put all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl or into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Start slowly and then beat well at a high speed to make it super light and creamy. Add a little more milk if it is too stiff.
- Pipe or spread the buttercream between the layers, stacking each cake so it has a layer in each of the colours. Top with more buttercream and decorate.
- Any leftover cake as a result of cutting out the circles can be used to make cake pops (lots of recipes online) or freeze to add to trifles another time!