Party cakes Whether youre celebrating Harry and Meghans wedding or a birthday, do it with this selection of festive cakes by royal wedding baker Claire Ptak
Raspberry vanilla cake
Prep 1 hr
Chill 2 hr+
Bake 1 hr
Serves 10-12
125g unsalted butter,softened, plus more for greasing
200g caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
300g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
160g whole milk
6 tbsp raspberry jam
For the icing
120g fresh raspberries
500g icing sugar, sifted, plus 2 tbsp extra
1 tbsp milk
190g unsalted butter, softened
½ tsp kirsch
½ tsp lemon juice
You will need a piping bag with a large round nozzle for this recipe. Heat the oven to 150C/300F/gas 2. Grease and line a deep 20cm cake tin.
Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, vanilla and salt, and mix.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder, then fold half into the butter. Add in the milk, then the remaining flour. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and mix once more. Pour into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a palette knife or spatula. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Leave to cool for 15-20 minutes, then remove from its tin by running a small paring knife along the inside of the tin to release the cake. Or, if you have used a loose-bottomed tin, set the base of the cake tin on top of a tin of tomatoes, or similar, and gently push the sides of the cake tin down.
To make the icing, puree the raspberries with the two tablespoons of icing sugar, then strain. Transfer to an electric mixer. Add the milk, butter and 250g of the icing sugar, and beat on low for three minutes. Add the rest of the sugar and beat until the icing is light but holds its shape. Mix in the kirsch and lemon juice.
Wash and dry the cake tin, and line with clingfilm with plenty lapping over the sides and set aside. Using a serrated bread knife (the longest one you have), score a horizontal line a third of the way up the side of the cake and then slowly cut the cake into thirds horizontally. Trim the top layer slightly if it is domed. Slide a tart tin base or cardboard disc between the bottom and middle layers of the cake, and lift off the top two layers on to a large plate. Slide the bottom layer of sponge into the lined cake tin and pipe a border of icing around the edge. Don’t worry if the icing touches the sides of the tin, as you are essentially creating a dam for the filling.
Smooth half the jam over, and pipe a few stripes of icing on top. This acts as a glue to adhere one cake to another and it also creates delicious pockets of jam and icing between the layers.Put the middle sponge on top and repeat the above process. Top with the third sponge, pull up the sides of clingfilm and wrap up the cake. Chill for at least two hours, or overnight before removing from the tin to ice the top and sides. Scatter with more berries and serve.
Lemon drizzle loaf
Read more: www.theguardian.com