Vanilla, rose and raspberry cake

This is an unashamedly girly cake. Pink buttercream, soft and moussey, used to sandwich an innocent vanilla sponge and crowned with tart raspberries. Perfect for a birthday, an afternoon tea or a summer party. Just add pink fizz and the Barbie horror is complete!

All comments gratefully received. Here are some Eastery recipes you might like too:

Last week: Cadbury creme egg mess and White chocolate and cranberry hot cross buns

One year ago: Mini Simnel cupcakes and Chocolate orange easter spiced fudge and Eastery two tone cupcakes and Easter apostles scone loaf

Two years ago: Mini chocolate birds nests and Hot cross biscotti

Vanilla, rose and raspberry cake

Ingredients – cake

• 175g castor sugar
• 175g self raising flour
• 175g stork margarine/soft butter
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder

For Kitchen Aid: Mix all the ingredients together using the flat beater until light and creamy – takes about 4 minutes. Pour into two greased and lined round tins and bake in a preheated oven at 180C/Gas 4 for 20 – 25 minutes until well risen and golden brown. A toothpick should come out of the centre clean. Cool on a wire rack and remove from the tins once you’re able to stand the heat. (Non KA users use the all in one method and combine with your mixer/wooden spoon until light and creamy.)

Ingredients – buttercream

• 200g soft salted butter
• 400g icing sugar
• 2 tbsp rose extract/water
• Pink food colouring

Instructions for Kitchen Aid: Use the flat beater to cream the butter until soft and light – about 4 minutes. Then add the icing sugar spoon by spoon, mixing on a low speed until all incorporated, add the rose extract. Then beat on high for 7 minutes until the buttercream looks like mousse – flecked with air bubbles. Add food colouring if you wish then use to sandwich the cakes together. Place more buttercream on the top and use 300g raspberries to decorate. NB – I decided against raspberries as I rather liked the rose swirls. These are easy to pipe with a Wilton 1M nozzle by doing a reverse Mr Whippy. Start in the middle and work out, taking the pressure off as you come to the end. (Non KA users be prepared for using a lot of elbow grease! Use a wooden spoon or other mixer and beat until you have a mousse like buttercream.)

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