“There is nothing quite like a simple vanilla cake. Another wonderful standby for almost any occasion, this cake is one to add to your baking repertoire. The lovely passionfruit ‘measure and beat’ buttercream icing tops it perfectly.” Anneka Manning, Author.
Serves 8-10
Preparation time 15 minutes (+ 1½ hours cooling time)
Baking time 45–50 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Melted butter, to grease
150 g (5½ oz/1 cup) self-raising flour
35 g (1¼ oz/¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
165 g (5¾ oz/¾ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
125 g (4½ oz) butter, cubed, at room temperature
80 ml (2½ fl oz/1/3 cup) milk
2 eggs, at room temperature
1½ teaspoons natural vanilla extract or essence
Passionfruit buttercream
125 g (4½oz) butter, at room temperature
185 g (6½ oz/1½ cups) icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon passionfruit pulp, plus extra, to decorate
METHOD
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) or 160°C (315°F) fan-forced. Grease a round 20 cm (8 in) cake tin with melted butter and line the base with baking paper.
2 Place the self-raising and plain flours, sugar, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for 3 minutes or until the mixture is well combined and very pale in colour. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
3 Bake in the preheated oven for 45–50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely (this will take about 1½ hours).
4 To make the Passionfruit buttercream, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, icing sugar and passionfruit pulp in a medium bowl until pale and creamy.
5 Spread the buttercream over the top of the cooled cake and then spoon over the extra passionfruit pulp to decorate. Serve in wedges.
Variation
Easy Citrus & Coconut Cake – Replace the vanilla with 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon or orange zest and add 45 g (1½ oz/½cup) desiccated coconut with the flours. Replace the passionfruit pulp in the buttercream with 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon or orange zest and 2 teaspoons strained fresh lemon or orange juice.
Recipes and Images from BakeClass by Anneka Manning, Published by Murdoch Books.
