Valentine’s Day Cake

Valentine’s Day vanilla sponge cake topped with vanilla buttercream with hidden hearts in the centre. Made with Kerrygold Irish Butter.

INGREDIENTS - SPONGE CAKE HEARTS

Milk 75ml
Kerrygold Irish Butter 60g
Eggs 2 large
Sugar 125ml
Vanilla Essence 2.5ml 
Flour 200ml
Salt pinch
Baking Powder 7.5ml
Food Colouring Pink

INGREDIENTS - VANILLA SPONGE CAKE

Milk 150ml
Kerrygold Irish Butter 120g
Eggs 4 large
Sugar 250ml
Vanilla Essence 5ml 
Flour 400ml
Salt pinch
Baking Powder 15ml

INGREDIENTS - VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Icing Sugar 250g
Kerrygold Butter 120g
Milk 25ml
Vanilla Essence 5ml

METHOD - SPONGE CAKE HEARTS

Place the milk and Kerrygold butter in a saucepan on a medium heat until butter has melted, leave aside to cool slightly. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and food colouring powder together. Beat the eggs and vanilla essence well, gradually adding sugar a third at a time until the mixture is thick and creamy. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients to the creamy mixture until smooth. Add the cooled milk and butter mixture and stir in gently to combine, then beat slightly to mix well. Line a rectangular baking tray, approx 240mm x 320mm with baking paper and pour in the cake mixture. 

Bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes.

Allow to cool completely and then using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut hearts from the sponge and set aside.

METHOD - VANILLA SPONGE CAKE

Place the milk and Kerrygold butter in a saucepan on a medium heat until butter has melted, leave aside to cool slightly. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder. Beat the eggs and vanilla essence well, gradually adding sugar a third at a time until the mixture is thick and creamy. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients to the creamy mixture until smooth. Add the cooled milk and butter mixture and stir in gently to combine, then beat slightly to mix well. Using butter, grease a 230mm diameter cake ring tin well and then dust with flour. Pour the cake mixture in, just to cover the bottom, then place the sponge cake hearts in the ring, make note of which way the hearts go in, as this will determine which side up the cake will need to be. One the hearts are in place, gently top with the rest of the cake mixture.

Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes.

Allow to cool completely.

METHOD - VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Beat the icing sugar, softened Kerrygold butter, milk and vanilla essence until light and fluffly. Spread evenly over the top of the cake and decorate with white chocolate balls and white sprinkles.