My grandchildren love a cake to look temptingly delicious and it has to be smothered in buttercream and decorated with chocolate/or sweets so they can tuck in and enjoy the moment.
There wasn't time to take a photograph of the cake before it was sliced but the topping is Green & Black's chocolate which I melted gently in the microwave, poured out onto a board and just before it sets too hard I used a dough scraper and chopped the chocolate into small shards.
Thermomix Method - Conventional Method in Italics
You will need: 3 x 20cm cake tins, greased and base lined.
Cake Ingredients:
- 280g self-raising flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 280g caster sugar
- 280g soft unsalted butter
- 5 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons milk
- For the chocolate layer:
- 50g cocoa powder, sifted
- For the chocolate decoration
- 50g Green & Black's Milk Chocolate
Preheat the oven to 175ºC.
Add the flour, baking powder, pinch salt, caster sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract and milk to the TM jug. Mix 20 Secs/Speed 5. Scrape down and mix 20 Secs/Speed 5.
Place the flour, baking powder, pinch salt, caster sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract and milk in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix the ingredients for 2 minutes until well combined.
Dollop a third of the mixture into one of the prepared tins and level.
Add the cocoa powder to the remaining batter in the TM jug and mix 15 secs/speed 5. If the cocoa powder isn't fully incorporated whiz again for a few seconds.
Add the cocoa powder to the remaining batter and mix until well incorporated.
Scrape the chocolate cake batter into the two tins and level out.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked. Place the tins on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes and place on the rack until cold.
Wrap the cooled cakes in cling wrap and place in the fridge to firm up.
Buttercream Ingredients
- 350g sifted icing sugar
- 175g softened unsalted butter
- 40g cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp boiling water
Add the icing sugar, softened butter and cooled cocoa powder paste to the TM and mix 15 Secs/Reverse/Speed 2. Scrape down and mix for 4 Minutes/Reverse/Speed 2. If the buttercream is a little stiff add a splash of milk and whiz again to incorporate.
Add the butter to the bowl of the food mixer and mix for a few seconds. Gradually add the sifted icing sugar followed by the cocoa paste, mix for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
To Assemble:
Place one of the chocolate cakes on a cake board. Spread over a layer of buttercream. Place the vanilla cake on top and spread over another layer of buttercream. Top with the remaining chocolate cake. Spread the top cake layer with buttercream. With a large pallet knife coat the sides of the cake evenly with buttercream.
