2020-04-01 Good Housekeeping South Africa

This three-tiered wedding-cake beauty turns tradition on its head.

Instead of a traditional fruit cake, we’ve chosen sponge layers: classic

Victoria, zesty Lemon & Elderflower (like Meghan and Harry!) and Rich

Chocolate Fudge. The cake can be prepared ahead and keeps well for

a few days, so don’t be daunted; it takes time, but it’s worth the effort

MODERN

54 GH SPECIAL RECIPE EDITION 2020

THE KIT

Here’s our check

list of essentials:

• large silicone
  rolling pin


• cake leveller


• cake boards in
  sizes specified


• flexible scraper
  or palette knife


• pin (to mark
  dowelling
  position)


• cocktail sticks
  or toothpicks


• clean
  paintbrush


• flat baking tray
  or cake lifter


• turntable for
  icing the cake


• cake smoother


• dowelling rods


• flowers and
  leaves, to
  decorate

Hands-on Time 3 to 4 hours, plus

cooling and chilling Cooking Time

About 5 hours Serves About 80

THE BOTTOM TIER

VICTORIA SPONGE

Serves About 45

750g unsalted butter, softened,

plus extra to grease

750g golden caster sugar

1 tbsp vanilla paste

12 large eggs, beaten

750g self-raising flour

300ml sour cream

4 tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease
   and line a deep 30cm round cake tin,
   leaving 4cm baking paper above the
   lip. Tip butter, sugar and vanilla into the
   bowl of a freestanding mixer and beat
   until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).


2. Gradually add the beaten eggs,
   whisking continuously. If mixture begins
   to curdle, add a little of the flour. Once
   eggs are incorporated, beat in the
   sour cream, then fold in the remaining
   flour, a large pinch of salt and the milk.
   Scrape into prepared tin and bake for
   about 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted
   into the centre comes out clean.


3. Leave to cool in tin for 30 minutes;
   remove and cool on a wire rack.
   Once cool, level and halve cakes.
   (For instructions, see page 56.)

(See Freeze-ahead Tip on page 57,

if needed.)

THE MIDDLE TIER

LEMON & ELDERFLOWER

SPONGE

Serves About 25

275g unsalted butter, softened,

plus extra to grease

300g golden caster sugar

1 tbsp vanilla paste

6 medium eggs, beaten

375g cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons

2 tbsp elderflower cordial

FOR THE SYRUP

50g golden caster sugar

3 tbsp elderflower cordial

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1. Follow Step 1 as in Victoria Sponge
   method, using a deep 20cm round
   cake tin.


2. Gradually add the beaten eggs,
   whisking all the time. If the mixture
   begins to curdle, add a little of the
   flour. Once the eggs are incorporated,
   fold in remaining flour, baking powder
   and a pinch of salt, then fold in the
   lemon zest, juice and elderflower
   cordial. Scrape mixture into prepared
   tin and bake for about 1 hour 45
   minutes, or until a skewer inserted
   into the centre comes out clean.

Triple-tier Wedding Cake

Thisthree-tieredwedding-cakebeautyturnstraditiononitshead.

Insteadofatraditionalfruitcake,we’vechosenspongelayers:classic

Victoria,zestyLemon&Elderflower(likeMeghanandHarry!)andRich

ChocolateFudge.Thecakecanbepreparedaheadandkeepswellfor

a few days, so don’t be daunted; it takes time, but it’s worth the effort

ERN

54 GH SPECIAL RECIPE EDITION 2020

THE KIT

Here’s our check

list of essentials:

• large silicone
  rolling pin


• cake leveller


• cake boards in
  sizes specified


• flexible scraper
  or palette knife


• pin (to mark
  dowelling
  position)


• cocktail sticks
  or toothpicks


• clean
  paintbrush


• flat baking tray
  or cake lifter


• turntable for
  icing the cake


• cake smoother


• dowelling rods


• flowers and
  leaves, to
  decorate

Hands-on Time 3 to 4 hours, plus

cooling and chilling Cooking Time

About 5 hours Serves About 80

THE BOTTOM TIER

VICTORIA SPONGE

Serves About 45

750g unsalted butter, softened,

plus extra to grease

750g golden caster sugar

1 tbsp vanilla paste

12 large eggs, beaten

750g self-raising flour

300ml sour cream

4 tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease
   and line a deep 30cm round cake tin,
   leaving 4cm baking paper above the
   lip. Tip butter, sugar and vanilla into the
   bowl of a freestanding mixer and beat
   until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).


2. Gradually add the beaten eggs,
   whisking continuously. If mixture begins
   to curdle, add a little of the flour. Once
   eggs are incorporated, beat in the
   sour cream, then fold in the remaining
   flour, a large pinch of salt and the milk.
   Scrape into prepared tin and bake for
   about 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted
   into the centre comes out clean.


3. Leave to cool in tin for 30 minutes;
   remove and cool on a wire rack.
   Once cool, level and halve cakes.
   (For instructions, see page 56.)

(See Freeze-ahead Tip on page 57,

if needed.)

THE MIDDLE TIER

LEMON & ELDERFLOWER

SPONGE

Serves About 25

275g unsalted butter, softened,

plus extra to grease

300g golden caster sugar

1 tbsp vanilla paste

6 medium eggs, beaten

375g cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons

2 tbsp elderflower cordial

FOR THE SYRUP

50g golden caster sugar

3 tbsp elderflower cordial

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1. Follow Step 1 as in Victoria Sponge
   method, using a deep 20cm round
   cake tin.


2. Gradually add the beaten eggs,
   whisking all the time. If the mixture
   begins to curdle, add a little of the
   flour. Once the eggs are incorporated,
   fold in remaining flour, baking powder
   and a pinch of salt, then fold in the
   lemon zest, juice and elderflower
   cordial. Scrape mixture into prepared
   tin and bake for about 1 hour 45
   minutes, or until a skewer inserted
   into the centre comes out clean.

Triple-tier Wedding Cake