This is a great celebration cake, perfect for showing off.
Serves 20-25
Ingredients
225g (8oz) butter or margarine
225g (8oz) caster sugar
4 medium size eggs
225g (8oz) self-raising flour - sieved
2 – 3 drops Dr. Oetker Natural Vanilla Extract
For the buttercream icing
75g (3oz) unsalted butter
175g (6oz) icing sugar
2-3 drops of Dr. Oetker Natural Vanilla Extract
milk or warm water
4 tbsp strawberry jam
To decorate
3-4 tbsp Dr. Oetker Apricot glaze
1kg Dr. Oetker Ready to Roll White Icing
Bright Gel Food Colours (for making pink and green icings)
Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line two 18cm (7 inch) sandwich tins.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Gradually beat in the eggs and natural vanilla extract, if the mixture starts to curdle, add a little flour. Fold in the remaining flour with a metal spoon.
4. Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake for approx. 25 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch.
5. Remove from oven and leave to cool before turning out onto a cooling rack.
6. To make the buttercream, place the butter in a bowl and beat until soft. Gradually sift and beat in the icing sugar. Mix in the natural vanilla extract and enough milk / water to make the icing fluffy and spreadable.
7. Spread the jam on one of the cakes and use the buttercream to sandwich the two cakes together.
To Decorate
1. Using a knife, cover the top and sides of the cake with apricot glaze.
2. Take a small fist sized piece of the ready to roll white icing and divide it into two. Colour one piece of icing green and one piece pink by adding 2-3 drops of food colour gels (as per instructions) and kneading the icing until fully mixed and the colour is even.
3. Take another large fist sized piece of icing, colour using the gel food colours and set aside. Add food colour slowly until desired colour is achieved.
4. Roll out the remaining ready to roll white icing to a thickness of ½ cm. Make small balls using the pink and green coloured icing approx. 3mm in size. Dot them onto the rolled white icing and flatten with a rolling pin until smooth.
5. Using a rolling pin as support, drape the icing over the cake and smooth into position. Trim away any excess using a sharp knife.
6. To create the icing ribbon, cut strips of previously coloured pink icing 10cm x 2cm. Curl the strip back on itself to make a loop and arrange 10 loops on the top of the cake pointing towards the centre to create a bow effect.
