Ultimate Vanilla Cake.

Ingredients for the Icing.

• 300g unsalted butter, at room temp
• x1 Grounded Pleasures Vanilla Bean, seeds scraped
• 1 tsp Grounded Pleasures Vanilla Extract
• 380g icing mixture/sugar
• 160g (1/2 cup) thick berry jam
• edible flowers, to decorate

Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius, and line two 20cm round cake tins.

In a medium bowl whisk the self raising flour and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanillas until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the flour and the milk and slowly mix until combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the two tins, and smooth the top of each.

Bake for 35 minutes on the same rack in the oven if possible, or until a skewer comes out clean and the cakes spring back to the touch.

Once the cakes have cooled, make the icing.

Beat the butter with the vanilla bean seeds using a stand mixer and the whisk attachment for 1-2 minutes, or until it is pale and creamy. Add in the icing sugar and beat for another 1-2 minutes or until the icing is fluffy - you might want to cover your mixer with a tea towel at this point to avoid the inevitable cloud of icing sugar. Drizzle in the vanilla extract while the mixer is running, and mix until combined.

If necessary, lightly trim the tops of each cake so they have a more flat surface. Place one cake top side up, on a serving plate or cake stand. Using a piping bag or a zip lock bag with a hole cut in the corner, pipe a generous amount of icing around the edge of the cake. This border will keep the jam filling from spilling out into the icing on the finished cake.

Fill the centre of the cake with the jam and smooth it out until it reaches your buttercream border. Gently smooth a thin layer of buttercream over the top of the jam, then top with the second cake (top side down).

Fill any gaps between the top and bottom cake with more buttercream, it is easiest to use a piping bag again and pipe icing into any gaps.

Using a spatula, smooth some of the buttercream over the top of the cake, and down the sides so the whole cake is covered in buttercream. If your buttercream becomes too soft, place it in the fridge for a while to firm up a little before continuing.

Place the cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes. This will allow the buttercream to firm up and make it easier to finish off the icing, and smooth out any uneven bits.

Once the cake has had some time to firm up, use a spatula to smooth out the icing, and add some more if necessary. The icing doesn’t need to be perfect, just get it as even as you can.

Before serving*, decorate the entire cake with edible flowers, pressing them into the cake so the petals stick to the icing - the flowers will stick to the cake more easily if the cake isn’t cold from the fridge and has had some time to come to room temperature after you’ve finished off the icing. You can create whatever pattern you wish, it will depend on the type of edible flowers you have, and how many you have to work with.

*If making the cake in advance, only decorate just before serving so the edible flowers stay fresh and look their best.

Store any leftovers in the fridge.

Serves at least 12. Best served at room temperature.