Fresh Cream Cake

It’s bakemas 2020!

If it’s your first bakemas here, welcome. It is my annual mini-series in which I show you how to make a various Christmas themed baked goods – perfect if you want to impress your family and/or friends or if you’re hosting a festive get together.

That’s why today, I’m sharing another super easy cake recipe with you – here’s my take on a fresh cream cake.

It’s nothing super fancy, just two layers of soft vanilla sponge cake, filled with winterberry jam. Filled and coated with freshly whipped sweetened cream, finished with a desiccated coconut coating, a few rosettes top and they’re topped with some raspberries (feel free to use other berries).

If you’re looking for a cake to make to share with those you’re celebrating the holidays with, this may be the perfect addition at your celebration this year.

Anyway, let’s get started, shall we?

 

Ingredients:

Cake:

250g Butter.

250g Granulated sugar.

4 Eggs.

1-2 tsp Vanilla extract.

250g Plain flour.

1 1/2 tsp Baking powder.

Pinch of salt.

Milk (optional – only use if needed).

 

Filling:

Jam or spread of choice (I used winterberry jam, any filling is optional).

 

Finishing:

Whipped cream:

600ml Double cream.

50g Icing sugar.

1-2 tsp Vanilla extract.

 

Approx 200-250g desiccated coconut.

Optional – raspberries (or other berries) to finish.

 

Method:

Before you get started on the recipe, you’ll want to do some prep work. Start by weighing up all of your ingredient, grab 2x 6 inch round cake tins and lined them with parchment or butter and flour them, then you can go ahead and grab any equipment you may need, such as a stand mixer and mixing bowl or hand mixer and a mixing bowl – spatulas will be essential during this recipe, so grab at least one of them. Don’t forget to preheat your oven to 180˚c/350˚f.

To start on the cake, grab your mixing bowl and place in the butter and granulated sugar. Beat the two together until they are lighter and fluffier in colour and consistency – around 7-10 minutes over a medium-high speed.

Once you’ve achieved the perfect consistency, give the bowl a good scraping down just to incorporate any bits that may not have been fully incorporated previously.

Now you can add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well in between each addition. As you add in the eggs, you will notice the consistency change and become looser, this is normal, don’t worry.

Add in the vanilla extract and mix it in until its fully incorporated.

Now you can give the bowl another good scraping down, just to incorporate any bits that may not have been incorporated earlier on.

Grab a sieve and pass though the flour, baking powder and salt. Sifting the dry ingredients ensures you have no lumps in your cake batter – lumps in your batter are the last thing you need.

Place the mixing bowl back onto the mixer and start to incorporate the dry ingredients over a low speed to start with, working your way up to a medium-high until everything is combined and fully incorporated.

If you find the cake batter is a little stiff to work with, don’t worry. Use a little milk, roughly a tablespoon at a time until you achieve the perfect consistency.

Finally, give your bowl a good scraping down. Just to incorporate any bits that may not have been fully worked in from earlier on.

Now you can grab your prepared cake tins and divide the cake batter between them, trying to get it as equal as possible if you’re eyeballing it like I was. Smooth and level it out, then place into your preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes (or until a tester comes out clean).

While your cakes are baking, it’s the perfect time to clean up and start on the cream filling and coating.

To make the cream filling and coating, take a clean mixing bowl and place in the double cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract, then beat over a medium-high speed until your cream has almost reached stiff peaks. It should easily hold its shape and be the perfect spreadable consistency.

Keep that refrigerated until needed later on or if you’re not decorating the cake that day, save whipping the cream until you need it.

Once the cakes are baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool fully, when you can, remove from the cake tins and leave on a cooling rack to cool fully.

Later on, once you’re ready to finish the cake, make sure you have levelled the top of the cakes. This just helps to keep everything level and consistent when finishing the cake off.

To start the assembly, grab your plate/stand/board and smear a small blob of fresh cream into the centre of it and place the first layer of cake onto it, pressing down to secure it in place.

On top of the first layer of cake, dollop and spread a good amount of cream and spread it out until its level, then optionally add some jam (I use winterberry but use your preference). Place the second layer of cake on top, then press down just to secure it in place.

You can then go ahead and give the cake a generous coating of the whipped cream, you will only be applying the one coat so be fairly generous.

Once you have a generous coat of cream, you can then go ahead and coat the cake with a layer of desiccated coconut, ensuring the cake has a good coating.

Pipe on the rosettes of cream, they may not stay in place due to you piping on top of the coconut but don’t worry. Then you can top them with your choice of berry, I chose raspberry.

Place in the fridge to firm up for about 45-60 minutes, then enjoy!

That’s all for today guys, I hope you enjoyed. If you did, don’t forget to share this recipe with your family and friends and enjoy it. I’ll be back soon with another blog post and YouTube video, so join me then. In the meanwhile, don’t forget to check out my other social’s – Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The YouTube tutorial will be linked down below.