Buttercream and decoration
◆ 500g (1lb 2oz) unsalted butter, softened ◆ 500g (1lb 2oz) icing sugar, sifted ◆ 1tbsp vanilla bean paste ◆ 3½tbsp whole milk ◆ Finely grated zest 1 lemon ◆ 2tbsp elderflower cordial ◆ 2tbsp cocoa powder ◆ 150g (5oz) strawberry jam ◆ 5kg (11lb 2oz) white sugarpaste or fondant, we used Renshaw Professional Regalice Décor ◆ Cornflour, to dust ◆ 100g (3½oz) apricot glaze (see box
on page 149) ◆ Tylo Powder, from Lakeland ◆ Vodka or freshly boiled and cooled water you will also need ◆ The Kit (see opening page) ◆ Dowelling rods ◆ Flowers and leaves, to decorate
1 To make buttercream, using a freestanding mixer (or large bowl and handheld electric whisk), whisk the butter until smooth, then add icing sugar; continue whisking until light and fluffy. Briefly whisk in vanilla and 3tbsp milk, until smooth and spreadable. 2 Remove 150g (5oz) vanilla buttercream to a bowl and whisk in the lemon zest and elderflower cordial until smooth. 3 Remove 100g (3½oz) vanilla buttercream to a bowl and whisk in the cocoa powder and remaining ½tbsp milk until smooth. 4 Secure base layer of the bottom tier (Victoria sponge), cut-side up, to a 30.5cm (12in) cake board with 1tbsp vanilla
buttercream, and set on a turntable, if you have one. Using a palette knife or flexible scraper, spread over a thin layer of vanilla buttercream, followed by strawberry jam; top with remaining half of sponge, cut-side down. Cover with a thin layer of vanilla buttercream to create a crumb coating (see box, above left), then chill the cake for 30min to firm up. Remove from turntable. Cover loosely with clingfilm and set aside.
5 Secure base layer of middle tier (Lemon & Elderflower), cut-side up, to a 20.5cm (8in) cake board with 1tbsp vanilla buttercream; set on a turntable, if you have one. Spread over all the lemon and elderflower buttercream and top with remaining half of sponge, cut-side down. Crumb coat with vanilla buttercream as in step 4.
6 Secure base half of top tier (Rich Chocolate Fudge), cut-side up, to a 15cm (6in) cake board with 1tbsp vanilla buttercream; set on a turntable, if you have one. Spread with chocolate buttercream; top with remaining half of sponge, cut-side down. Crumb coat with vanilla buttercream as per step 4.
7 For the bottom tier: take 1kg (2lb 3½oz) sugarpaste and from this set aside half. Sprinkle cornflour on to the work surface and roll out to about a 30.5cm (12in) circle (using the base of your cake tin as a guide). Roll reserved sugarpaste into 3 bands, about 30.5cm (12in) long and 1cm (½in) deeper than your cake. Lightly brush cake with apricot glaze (see page 149) and, using the rolling pin, carefully lift sugarpaste circle over the top of the cake and gently smooth, trimming any overhang. Stick the sugarpaste bands to the sides of the cake and gently smooth. Trim any excess sugarpaste where the pieces meet to create flush edges.
8 For the middle tier: sprinkle cornflour on to a clean work surface and roll out 750g (1lb 10½oz) sugarpaste to about a 33cm (13in) circle. Lightly brush cake with apricot glaze and, using the rolling pin, carefully lift sugarpaste circle over cake (see picture A). Gently work into position to fully cover the cake. Using a cake smoother, or your hands, smooth edges and sides of cake to create a flat surface, making sure not to create any overlap or folds, and trim the excess. Bring together sugarpaste trimmings as you work and transfer to a sealable food bag as a reserve until ready to make the waves.
9 For the top tier: repeat as per step 8, with 500g (1lb 2oz) sugarpaste, adding trimmings to the food bag to use later, if needed. 10 To mark the dowelling; place a 20.5cm (8in) cake board (or use the base of a cake tin) centrally on top of the bottom tier cake, using a pin, mark the diameter in 3 places (to make a triangle). Remove the cake board and measure 2.5cm (1in) in from each mark, then insert dowelling rods here. Using a pencil, mark on each dowel where it emerges from the surface (see picture B). Remove each dowel, cut at that point and reinsert into cake. Repeat with the middle tier using a 15cm (6in) cake board (or cake tin base). 11 To make the waves: take 250g (9oz) sugarpaste and knead in ¾tsp of Tylo, keeping the remaining icing covered in a food bag to prevent it drying out. Roll out the sugarpaste on a lightly cornfloured surface to a rectangle about 18 x 30.5cm (7 x 12in) and 3-5mm (⅛-¼in) thick. Cut this horizontally into 3 long strips (about 9cm/3½in deep). Using a sharp knife, cut a wavy line through the middle of each strip (see picture C). Using a clean paintbrush, brush the rim of the top tier cake with a little vodka (or cooled water) and carefully stick the wave on to the cake, making sure it comes above the edge slightly (see picture D). Secure another strip in the same way, meeting the previous strip, until the whole circumference is covered. Repeat to make 2 further rows, each 3cm (1¼in) below the other. Continue with remaining sugarpaste and Tylo until all the cakes are covered (using reserved trimmings, if needed). 12 Stack the cakes and decorate with flowers no more than 4hr ahead.
GET AHEAD Ice cakes, completing to end of step 9 up to 2 days ahead. Assemble cakes, to end of step 11, up to 24hr ahead. (See Freeze Ahead Tip, if needed.) PER SERVING (average) 594cals, 4g protein, 23g fat (14g saturates), 92g carbs (79g total sugars), 1g fibre
For all of these cakes, the butter should be soft, and eggs at room temperature, while the icing sugar, flour and cocoa powder should be sifted before use.