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Side on view of the Baking Mad Ultimate Vanilla Celebration Cake
45Total Time
130Prep Time
235Bake Time
16Serves
A challenge

Ultimate Vanilla Celebration Cake

9 Reviews

  • Nut Free
  • Vegetarian

About our Ultimate Vanilla Celebration Cake recipe

There's cake then there is the Nielsen Massey Ultimate Vanilla Celebration Cake. A classic 4 layer Vanilla sponge cake, infused with a Vanilla syrup to make it extra moist, filled and covered with an indulgent Vanilla Bean buttercream. The pièce de résistance are the Rose Water Meringue Kisses and Macaron decorations. Whilst this cake looks like a real showstopper it actually isn't as complicated as you would think (but your guests don't need to know that!) 

45Total Time
130Prep Time
235Bake Time
16Serves
A challenge

Method

  1. Step 1:

    Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 5). Put some water in a cake tin or roasting tin and set in the bottom of the oven. Prepare four 7" sandwich tins by lining with baking parchment.

  2. Step 2:

    Cream together the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric hand whisk, until pale and fluffy.

  3. Step 3:

    Add the eggs in 3 parts, beating well after each addition so that the egg is well incorporated. Add the vanilla. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold in lightly with a metal spoon, until the mixture is even. Add the milk and mix.

  4. Step 4:

    Spoon the mix into tins and bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

  5. Step 5:

    Whilst the cake is cooling make the vanilla syrup by heating together the sugar and vanilla in a pan until all of the sugar has dissolved. 

  6. Step 6:

    Carefully poke holes in the top of your sponges and pour over some of the syrup allowing the sponge to soak it up.

  7. Step 7:

    To make the buttercream; beat together the butter, icing sugar and vanilla bean paste until soft and fluffy. You can add a drop of milk to loosen the buttercream if needed.

  8. Step 8:

    Layer the sponge with jam and buttercream, then coat the whole cake in buttercream. Pop in the fridge to chill before adding an additional layer of buttercream. To get a smooth finish, run a pallet knife under boiling water before smoothing round the cake. 

  9. Step 9:

    Decorate the cake with Rose Water Meringues Kisses and vanilla Macarons.

Ingredients

  • For the Sponge

    • 400g Unsalted butter (softened)
    • 400g Billington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar
    • 6 Free range large eggs
    • 400g Allinson's Self Raising White Flour
    • 2 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
    • 3 tbsp Milk (whole)
  • For the Vanilla Syrup

    • 100g Billington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar
    • 1.5 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste
  • For the Buttercream

    • 300g Unsalted butter (softened)
    • 600g Silver Spoon Icing Sugar
    • 1.5 tbsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste
  • For the Filling

    • 1 Raspberry jam (jar)

Utensils

  • 3x 7in sandwich tin
  • Mixing bowl

Nutritional Information

per 170g
  • 805cal Energy
  • 39g Fat
  • 24g of which Saturates
  • 107g Carbohydrates
  • 89g of which Sugars
  • 5.7g Protein
  • 0.36g Salt

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