- Leave to cool, level and halve as per Step
3 of Victoria Sponge. (See Freeze-ahead
Tip on page 57, if needed.) - Meanwhile, make the syrup: gently heat
sugar, cordial, zest and juice in a small pot
until sugar has dissolved, increase heat
and boil for 2 minutes; set aside to cool.
Brush over cut side of each sponge; leave
to absorb.
THE TOP TIER
RICH CHOCOLATE
FUDGE CAKE
Serves About 10
75ml vegetable oil, plus extra to grease
100g 70% dark chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vanilla paste
2 tsp cider vinegar
200ml milk
125g golden caster sugar
175g cake flour
50g cocoa powder
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¾ tsp baking powder- Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and line
a deep 15cm round cake tin as per Step 1
of Victoria Sponge recipe. - Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl
over a pot of barely simmering water. Set
aside to cool slightly. - In a jug, use a fork to whisk together the
oil, vanilla, vinegar and milk until combined.
Set aside. - Tip sugar, flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of
soda, baking powder and a pinch of salt
into a large bowl and stir to combine. Pour
the oil mixture over the dry ingredients
and mix until just combined. Add melted
chocolate; mix again. Scrape mixture into
prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until
risen and a skewer inserted into the centre
comes out clean. - Leave to cool, level and halve as before.
(See Freeze-ahead Tip on page 57, if
needed.)
TO DECORATE AND ASSEMBLE
BUTTERCREAM AND DECORATION
500g unsalted butter, softened
500g icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp vanilla paste
3½ tbsp full-cream milk
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp elderflower cordial
2 tbsp cocoa powder
150g strawberry jam
5kg white sugarpaste or fondant
cornflour, to dust
100g apricot glaze (see page 57)tylo powder
vodka or freshly boiled and cooled water- To make buttercream, using a
freestanding mixer (or a large bowl and
a hand-held electric whisk), whisk the
butter until smooth, then add icing sugar;
continue whisking until light and fluffy.
Briefly whisk in vanilla and 3 tbsp milk
until smooth and spreadable. - Remove 150g vanilla buttercream to
a bowl and whisk in the lemon zest and
elderflower cordial until smooth. - Remove 100g vanilla buttercream to
a bowl and whisk in the cocoa powder
and remaining ½ tbsp milk until smooth. - Secure base layer of the bottom
tier (Victoria sponge), cut-side up, to
a 30cm cake board with 1 tbsp vanilla
buttercream and set on a turntable, if you
have one. Using a palette knife or flexible
scraper, spread over a thin layer of vanilla
buttercream, followed by strawberry jam;
top with remaining half of sponge, cut-side
down. Cover with a thin layer of vanilla
buttercream to create a crumb coating
(see right), then chill the cake for 30
minutes to firm up. Remove from turntable.
Cover loosely with clingwrap and set aside. - Secure base layer of middle tier (Lemon
TO CRUMB COAT
For the crumb coat,
don’t worry if the layer
of buttercream has
crumbs in it. This is
just to seal the cake
and stop crumbs
from getting into the
presentation layers.HOW TOLevel and Halve Cakes
Your cakes should be completely flat to make them easier to stack and to give a neat
finish. To level, using a cake leveller or bread knife, cut a thin slice off the top of the cake
with a sawing action. When you get halfway through, twist the cake through 45 degrees
and continue cutting. Then cut the cake in half horizontally to make 2 layers. To keep
them in the same position when restacking, insert 2 toothpicks above each other as
markers in the side of the cake before you separate the layers.56 GH SPECIAL RECIPE EDITION 2020
0420_GHE_052_067 let's celebrate.indd 5 2020/03/10 10:00 AM- Leave to cool, level and halve as per Step
3 of Victoria Sponge. (See Freeze-ahead
Tip on page 57, if needed.) - Meanwhile, make the syrup: gently heat
sugar, cordial, zest and juice in a small pot
until sugar has dissolved, increase heat
and boil for 2 minutes; set aside to cool.
Brush over cut side of each sponge; leave
to absorb.
THE TOP TIER
RICH CHOCOLATE
FUDGE CAKE
Serves About 10
75ml vegetable oil, plus extra to grease
100g 70% dark chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vanilla paste
2 tsp cider vinegar
200ml milk
125g golden caster sugar
175g cake flour
50g cocoa powder
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¾ tsp baking powder
- Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and line
a deep 15cm round cake tin as per Step 1
of Victoria Sponge recipe. - Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl
over a pot of barely simmering water. Set
aside to cool slightly. - In a jug, use a fork to whisk together the
oil, vanilla, vinegar and milk until combined.
Set aside. - Tip sugar, flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of
soda, baking powder and a pinch of salt
into a large bowl and stir to combine. Pour
the oil mixture over the dry ingredients
and mix until just combined. Add melted
chocolate; mix again. Scrape mixture into
prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until
risen and a skewer inserted into the centre
comes out clean. - Leave to cool, level and halve as before.
(See Freeze-ahead Tip on page 57, if
needed.)
TO DECORATE AND ASSEMBLE
BUTTERCREAM AND DECORATION
500g unsalted butter, softened
500g icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp vanilla paste
3½ tbsp full-cream milk
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp elderflower cordial
2 tbsp cocoa powder
150g strawberry jam
5kg white sugarpaste or fondant
cornflour, to dust
100g apricot glaze (see page 57)
tylo powder
vodka or freshly boiled and cooled water- To make buttercream, using a
freestanding mixer (or a large bowl and
a hand-held electric whisk), whisk the
butter until smooth, then add icing sugar;
continue whisking until light and fluffy.
Briefly whisk in vanilla and 3 tbsp milk
until smooth and spreadable. - Remove 150g vanilla buttercream to
a bowl and whisk in the lemon zest and
elderflower cordial until smooth. - Remove 100g vanilla buttercream to
a bowl and whisk in the cocoa powder
and remaining ½ tbsp milk until smooth. - Secure base layer of the bottom
tier (Victoria sponge), cut-side up, to
a 30cm cake board with 1 tbsp vanilla
buttercream and set on a turntable, if you
have one. Using a palette knife or flexible
scraper, spread over a thin layer of vanilla
buttercream, followed by strawberry jam;
top with remaining half of sponge, cut-side
down. Cover with a thin layer of vanilla
buttercream to create a crumb coating
(see right), then chill the cake for 30
minutes to firm up. Remove from turntable.
Cover loosely with clingwrap and set aside. - Secure base layer of middle tier (Lemon
TO CRUMB COAT
For the crumb coat,
don’t worry if the layer
of buttercream has
crumbs in it. This is
just to seal the cake
and stop crumbs
from getting into the
presentation layers.HOW TOYour cakes should be completely flat to make them easier to stack and to give a neat
finish. To level, using a cake leveller or bread knife, cut a thin slice off the top of the cake
with a sawing action. When you get halfway through, twist the cake through 45 degrees
and continue cutting. Then cut the cake in half horizontally to make 2 layers. To keep
them in the same position when restacking, insert 2 toothpicks above each other as
markers in the side of the cake before you separate the layers.56 GH SPECIAL RECIPE EDITION 2020