Easy celebration chocolate cake with vanilla bean buttercream

Doug Sherring

This is a great celebration cake because it’s so simple. It’s a lot more impressive than its simple method would indicate. Patience is the key with buttercream, but it’s worth it. I like to make my cakes the day before, so that they’re completely cool before adding the buttercream. You could put them in the freezer while you make the buttercream, to make assembling it nice and easy. I first came across this vanilla bean buttercream recipe on a food blog called Smitten Kitchen when I made my colleague’s wedding cake a few years ago. It spreads on like a dream and is not as sweet as other frostings.

Easy rich chocolate cake

¾ cup	Cocoa powder, use a good quality variety (Main)
1 ½ cups	Flour
1 ¼ cups	Sugar
1 ½ tsp	Baking soda
¾ tsp	Baking powder
1 pinch	Salt
2	Eggs, free-range
¾ cup	Natural yoghurt
¾ cup	Water, warm
4 Tbsp	Olive oil, or for something slightly less rich use rice bran oil
1 tsp	Vanilla extract

Vanilla bean buttercream

1 cup	White sugar
4 large	Egg whites
390 g	Unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp	Vanilla paste, or the beans scraped from one vanilla pod

Directions

Easy rich chocolate cake

1. Preheat oven to 175C fan bake. Line two 22cm cake tins with butter and baking paper.
2. Sift all dry ingredients into the bowl of your cake mixer. Gently combine on a very low speed.
3. In a mixing bowl or jug, combine eggs, yoghurt, water, oil and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and mix together on low speed until combined. Divide batter evenly between two cake tins. Bake for approx 35-40 minutes until the centre springs back when you touch it.
4. Remove from oven and leave in the tins for about 20 minutes, before removing and cooling on a rack. Allow to cool completely before preparing with the buttercream.

Vanilla bean buttercream

1. Beat together the egg whites and the sugar in a large mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water.
2. Keep whisking until you can't feel the granules of sugar between your fingers. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the mixture into the bowl of an electric cake mixer, fitted with a balloon whisk.
3. Beat until the mixture has doubled in size, about 5-10 minutes. Add the vanilla, and continue beating. Add the butter, large spoonfuls at a time, and keep whipping. Once all the butter is added, keep whipping (this can take a good 10 minutes, so be patient) until it all comes together in a soft, spreadable clump.

To assemble

1. Place the bottom cake on a plate. Using a large rubber spatula, or a palette knife, add a large dollop of buttercream, and spread around the cake. It should be about 1cm high. Carefully place the other cake on top.
2. Add a dollop of buttercream to the top, and spread around the buttercream with your knife or spatula. Leave the sides exposed to see the layers. Decorate with candles or fresh flowers, and serve the cake with fresh berries or a berry coulis.