Recipe By Angela Boggiano for Sainsburys Magazine
A deliciously light and moist sponge with the best white chocolate icing makes this the perfect cake for a party spread
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large eggs
- 225g vegetable oil, plus extra to grease
- 300ml buttermilk
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 375g plain flour
- 1 1⁄2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 1⁄2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 400g light brown sugar
- 1 1⁄2 tsp red gel food colouring (use a vegetarian food colouring if required)
FOR THE ICING
- 200g butter, cubed
- 100g white chocolate, chopped
- 125g icing sugar, sifted
- 300g full-fat soft cheese
FOR THE DECORATION
- 300g mixed berries
- mint sprigs, to garnish
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Grease and line three 20cm sponge tins with baking paper.
- Place the eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla in a large jug and whisk together. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarb and a pinch of salt into a large bowl and mix in the sugar.
- Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix until everything is incorporated. Add the food colouring and stir well until evenly coloured.
- Divide the cake batter between the three prepared tins and bake for 25 minutes until risen and springy when pressed with your fingertips.
- Meanwhile, make the white chocolate icing. Place the butter and white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pan of barely simmering water. Remove from the heat, stir until smooth and set aside for 10 minutes to cool. Whisk again if it starts to separate.
- Beat the icing sugar and soft cheese with an electric whisk. Slowly pour in the white chocolate mixture, until you have a lovely smooth, thick and creamy icing. Cover and set aside until you are ready to assemble the cake.
- Leave the sponges in their tins for 10-15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Peel away the baking paper; cool.
- Place a sponge on a cake stand, spread on some icing, then top with another sponge; repeat with more icing and the final sponge. Spoon a quarter of the remaining icing into a piping bag and set aside. Spread the rest of the icing over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing with a spatula as you go.
- Pipe icing pearls around the top of the cake, pile on the berries and add mint. Leftovers keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature.