FOR THE SPONGE
- 5 medium eggs
- 275g unsalted butter, softened
- 275g caster sugar
- 275g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla paste
- 2 tbsp milk
- Wilton Colour Right System
- 400g unsalted butter, softened
- 1200g icing sugar
- 5 tbsp milk
- 35 drops Lakeland Natural Strawberry Flavour
- 15 fresh strawberries, hulled
- A few fresh mint leaves
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Lightly grease the 5 Easy Layer Cake Pans with Cake Release and set aside.
To make the sponge, break the eggs into a bowl and gently whisk, then set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar in a separate large bowl until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, flour, baking powder, vanilla paste and milk to the butter and sugar mixture, and mix until well combined.
Divide the mixture evenly into 5 bowls then carefully add your chosen Colour Right colours until you reach your desired shade. Fold each mixture until the colour is even.
Transfer the mixtures into the pans, spreading them evenly, then make a slight dip in the centre of each to help to achieve an even rise.
Place all the pans in the oven, evenly spaced, and bake for 18 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean. Set aside and cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the pans, transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Place all the buttercream ingredients into a large mixing bowl, adding the strawberry flavour last, and whisk until smooth.
To assemble the cake, smear a small amount of buttercream on a cake stand or plate to secure the first sponge. Spread a layer of buttercream to the edges of this sponge then top with the next colour sponge. Repeat with the remaining sponges.
Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the sides and top of the assembled cake and place in the freezer or fridge for 15 minutes until firm.
Reserve a little buttercream to make the piped flower decoration. Thickly spread the rest of the buttercream over the sides and top of the cake and smooth out to a thickness of about 5mm – this is most easily done using a cake turntable and long palette knife.
To decorate, take the reserved buttercream and divide it evenly between 5 small bowls. Add Colour Right colours to match the sponges, then stir each mixture until the colour is even.
Place a number 3 plain round piping nozzle into a disposable piping bag. Spoon in one of the coloured buttercream mixtures. To pipe the centres of the flowers, hold the bag at 90 degrees to the cake sides and gently squeeze a small amount of mixture onto the side before quickly pulling away. Repeat this procedure with the other colours to pipe the petals, matching their colour to the cake layers.
Garnish with strawberries and mint leaves and serve.