Ingredients
For the sponge
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line two
20cm/8in cake tins.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until soft and fluffy.
Add the vanilla and a little beaten egg and beat until well combined.
Add half the remaining eggs and two tablespoons of flour and mix
until well combined. Then add the remaining eggs, another two
tablespoons of flour and mix until well combined. Add the rest of the
flour and mix until well combined.
3. Divide the mixture between the two tins, smooth the mixture and
bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into
the centre of one of the cakes comes out clean.
4. Meanwhile for the sugar syrup, heat the sugar and water in a small
saucepan over a low-medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase
the heat and let the mixture boil for two minutes. Remove the pan
from the heat and set aside.
5. Remove the cakes from the oven and brush the tops liberally with
sugar syrup. Once cool, place the sponges in the freezer for 20
minutes. (This will make them easier to ice.)
6. For the buttercream, place the butter and vanilla in a large bowl and
beat well with a wooden spoon until light and creamy. Add the icing
sugar gradually, and beat until well combined.
7. Spoon some of the buttercream onto the middle of the cake board.
Place one of the cakes on top. Spread the cake with buttercream and
place the remaining sponge on top.
8. Spread the buttercream on the top and side of the cake. (Spread it
quite liberally at first, then smooth around the edges and over the
top, removing any excess, to give a neat first layer.) Chill the cake in
the fridge for 1-2 hours, or until firm. Remove the cake from the
fridge and spread over another layer of buttercream.
9. For the graffiti, heat the sugar, golden syrup (or liquid glucose) and
water in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Swirl the pan
gently. Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and bring
the mixture to the boil. If there is any sugar stuck to the side of the
pan, brush it with a wet pastry brush. Cook the caramel for 10–15
minutes or until it reaches 150C/300F (the 'hard-crack' stage).
Remove the pan from the heat.
10. To test whether the caramel is ready: remove a small piece of the
sugar mixture with a teaspoon and place it into a cup of cold water.
Leave it there for a minute or so to cool down. Feel the sugar
mixture on the end of the spoon: it should be hard and form hard,
brittle threads that break when bent.
11. Add the colouring and flavouring and swirl the pan gently until well
combined. Pour the caramel into a heatproof jug. (CAUTION: the
caramel will be extremely hot at this point) and set aside to cool
slightly for 1-2 minutes.
12. Lay a 65cm/25in wide piece of greaseproof paper out on the work
surface widthways. Drizzle overlapping circles of the caramel the
whole width of the paper (they should be the same height at the
cake). Repeat the process so that you have a thick band of
caramel.
13. Remove the cake from the fridge. When the 'graffiti' is firm but still
pliable, carefully peel off the back of the greaseproof paper and
stick around the cake. Cut off any excess with scissors.
By Lorraine Pascale From Home Cooking Made Easy
For the sponge
- 200g/7oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 200g/7oz soft light brown sugar
- ½ a vanilla pod, seeds scraped out or 2 drops vanilla extract
- 4 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
- 200g/7oz self-raising flour
- 200g/7oz granulated sugar
- 200ml/7oz water
- For the buttercream
- 400g/14oz butter, softened
- ½ a vanilla pod, seeds scraped out or 2 drops vanilla extract
- 800g/1lb 12oz icing sugar
- 250g/9oz granulated sugar
- 130ml/4½fl oz golden syrup or liquid glucose
- 125ml/4fl oz water
- few drops food colouring
- few drops vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line two
20cm/8in cake tins.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until soft and fluffy.
Add the vanilla and a little beaten egg and beat until well combined.
Add half the remaining eggs and two tablespoons of flour and mix
until well combined. Then add the remaining eggs, another two
tablespoons of flour and mix until well combined. Add the rest of the
flour and mix until well combined.
3. Divide the mixture between the two tins, smooth the mixture and
bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into
the centre of one of the cakes comes out clean.
4. Meanwhile for the sugar syrup, heat the sugar and water in a small
saucepan over a low-medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase
the heat and let the mixture boil for two minutes. Remove the pan
from the heat and set aside.
5. Remove the cakes from the oven and brush the tops liberally with
sugar syrup. Once cool, place the sponges in the freezer for 20
minutes. (This will make them easier to ice.)
6. For the buttercream, place the butter and vanilla in a large bowl and
beat well with a wooden spoon until light and creamy. Add the icing
sugar gradually, and beat until well combined.
7. Spoon some of the buttercream onto the middle of the cake board.
Place one of the cakes on top. Spread the cake with buttercream and
place the remaining sponge on top.
8. Spread the buttercream on the top and side of the cake. (Spread it
quite liberally at first, then smooth around the edges and over the
top, removing any excess, to give a neat first layer.) Chill the cake in
the fridge for 1-2 hours, or until firm. Remove the cake from the
fridge and spread over another layer of buttercream.
9. For the graffiti, heat the sugar, golden syrup (or liquid glucose) and
water in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Swirl the pan
gently. Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and bring
the mixture to the boil. If there is any sugar stuck to the side of the
pan, brush it with a wet pastry brush. Cook the caramel for 10–15
minutes or until it reaches 150C/300F (the 'hard-crack' stage).
Remove the pan from the heat.
10. To test whether the caramel is ready: remove a small piece of the
sugar mixture with a teaspoon and place it into a cup of cold water.
Leave it there for a minute or so to cool down. Feel the sugar
mixture on the end of the spoon: it should be hard and form hard,
brittle threads that break when bent.
11. Add the colouring and flavouring and swirl the pan gently until well
combined. Pour the caramel into a heatproof jug. (CAUTION: the
caramel will be extremely hot at this point) and set aside to cool
slightly for 1-2 minutes.
12. Lay a 65cm/25in wide piece of greaseproof paper out on the work
surface widthways. Drizzle overlapping circles of the caramel the
whole width of the paper (they should be the same height at the
cake). Repeat the process so that you have a thick band of
caramel.
13. Remove the cake from the fridge. When the 'graffiti' is firm but still
pliable, carefully peel off the back of the greaseproof paper and
stick around the cake. Cut off any excess with scissors.
By Lorraine Pascale From Home Cooking Made Easy
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