Easter Vanilla Layer Cake with Speckled Eggs

Method

• 1. Preheat oven to 180°C for 20 minutes before starting the batter. Place shelf in the middle of the oven.
• 2. Grease 2 x 20cm cake tins with butter, then line with parchment paper.
• 3. Whisk Snowflake Cake Wheat Flour, Snowflake Baking Powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
• 4. Beat eggs for 30 seconds on speed 6 of a stand mixer or a hand beater.
• 5. With the beater still going, pour the sugar in over a 45 second period.
• 6. Then beat for 7 minutes on speed 8, or until tripled in volume and white.
• 7. While the egg is beating, place butter and milk in a heatproof jug and microwave for 2 minutes on high to melt the butter. Do not let the milk bubble and boil. Don’t do this ahead and let the milk cool.
• 8. When the egg is whipped, spread 1/3 of the flour across a clean surface, then beat on speed 1 for 5 seconds. Add half of the remaining flour and mix on speed 1 for 5 seconds. Add remaining flour then mix on speed 1 for 5 – 10 sec until the flour is just mixed in. Once you can’t see flour, stop straight away.
• 9. Pour hot milk, vanilla and oil into the now empty flour bowl. Add about 1 ½ cups of the egg batter into the milk and butter mixture. Use a whisk to mix until smooth.
• 10. Turn beater back on speed 1 and pour the milk mixture into the egg batter over 15 seconds, then turn the beater off.
• 11. Scrape down the sides and base of the bowl. Beat on speed 1 for 10 seconds – batter should now be smooth and pourable.
• BAKE:
• 1. Pour batter into cake tins.
• 2. Bang each one on the counter to knock out bubbles.
• 3. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• 4. Remove from oven. Cool in cake tins for about 15 minutes then gently turn out onto cooling racks.
• VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
• 1. Beat butter with paddle attachment in stand mixer for 3 minutes on high until it changes from yellow to almost white, and it becomes fluffy and creamy.
• 2. Add icing sugar/powdered sugar gradually in 3 lots, beating slowly. Once the mixture is almost incorporated, beat on high for a full 3 minutes until fluffy.
• 3. Add vanilla and milk, then beat for a further 30 seconds. Use milk only if needed to make it soft but still holds its form. Use the frosting immediately.
• 4. To assemble the chocolate layers around the cake make sure you stand each finger/log against the wet frosting and wrap a ribbon around to hold them in place.
• 5. Top with as many speckled eggs as you wish and enjoy.