The New Year is a perfect time to take the opportunity for both celebrating the year that has past as well as looking forward to all the potential in the new one. What better a time to party in style!
This cake is designed to bring together all the best bits of New Years into one overly decadent mouthwatering treat!
Strawberry Champagne Cake
Ingredients
Cake
400g castor sugar
400g butter - room temperature
375g flour
15g baking powder
500ml champagne
6 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla (my personal favourite is Heilala - it is so thick and flavourful that it is totally worth it)
Buttercream
200g butter
2 egg whites
100g white sugar
50g white chocolate
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/2 punnet strawberries soaked in remaining champagne
Ganache
150g white chocolate
50g cream
To decorate
Fresh strawberries
24ct Gold leaf
Method
For the cake
1. Preheat the oven to 165 degrees Celsius. Line a 8" cake tin with paper and set aside.
2. Beat the sugar and the butter together until white and fluffy (about 7-10 minutes)
3. Slowly add one egg white at time making sure that they are properly beaten in between each addition.
4. Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold into the butter mix, alternating with the champagne.
5. Pour into the lined tin and bake for 40 minutes or until it bounces back when touched. For decorating this cake a flat top is best so shape the mix in the tin so it has a hole in the middle (see photo).
6. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
For the buttercream
1. Over a bain marie whisk the egg whites and sugar until warm and the sugar is dissolved. To test rub the mix between your forefinger and thumb, when dissolved it will not be grainy.
2. Transfer the mix to a stand mixer and whisk on high for 10 minutes until the mix is cool and thick.
3. Slowly add the butter in chunks while mixing. The mix will split for a short time before it comes together.
4. Add the melted white chocolate, vanilla bean and cut up strawberries. Set aside
For the ganache
1. Cut up the chocolate.
2. Scald the cream and pour over the chocolate and whisk in until emulsified. Set aside.
To assemble
Cut the cake in half. Re-line the tin with paper and place what was the top half of the cake into the tin as the bottom. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the base. Cut the top of the remaining strawberries and half them lengthwise. Place them around the edge with the centre facing outwards. Pour the rest of the buttercream in and spread evenly so it just tops the strawberries. Put the other half of the cake on top of the buttercream with the flat bottom side facing up. Pour the ganache over and set in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Remove from the fridge and carefully lay the gold leaf over the top of the ganache and transfer gently using the back of a knife.
If you want a chance to win two of these in 3" head over to my Facebook page and follow the instructions
As far as the ingredients go use whatever you have/can get. For the chocolate I like to use Valrhona, and for this recipe you can't go past their Ivoire, at 35% it's higher than the milk chocolates you can get in the supermarket! You can find it at Mercato, If you want to try decorating with gold leaf you can find some from Equagold.
Photography is from the brilliant Josh at Hohua Photography.
1 comment:
Wow Hazel, I now know my New Years resolution is to put on 1kg every fortnight reading this delicious blog, can't wait for the next one :)
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