CAKE O'CLOCK

One of my favourite weekend activities is baking. Tomorrow my parents are coming to visit so I cooked this very pink vanilla cake for them. I used a recipe from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook but doubled the quantities which worked perfectly for 2 shallow 21cm cake tins. Here's my adapted recipe:


FOR THE CAKE:
240g plain flour
280g caster sugar
5 tsps baking powder
a pinch of salt
80g unsalted butter
240ml whole milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Sprinkles, to decorate


FOR THE ICING:
500g icing sugar, sifted
160 unsalted butter (I didn't have unsalted so I used regular salted butter and melted it a bit in the microwave before mixing)
50ml whole milk (I ran out of milk so just used a little water - only a little though, you don't want it to be runny, especially when you're icing the sides)
Couple drops of vanilla extract
Pink food colouring


Pre-heat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3


Put the flour sugar, baking powder, salt and butter and beat with a handheld or electric whisk (I used a handheld whisk) until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.


Whisk the eggs, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until the mixture is smooth.


Pour the mixture evenly between two 21cm cake tins, until they're 50-75% full. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when tocuhed. A skewer/knife inserted in the centre should come out clean.


Leave the cakes to cool slightly before turning out onto a wire cooling rack tok cool completely.


In the mean time, combine all the icing ingredients in a bowl and maybe lick the leftover cake mix from the other bowl...


When the cakes are cold, use a knife/spatula to cover the top of one with the icing evenly. Place the un-iced cake on top of the iced cake, and then cover the top and sides with a thick layer of the icing. A palette knife would probably work best but I don't have one so just used a knife and a spatula to spread. Then it's sprinkle time!