A really simple and delightful cake, perfect for most occasions.
In keeping with the recent events in India, this cake's colour combination was modified to show respect to the martyrs.
Buttermilk
I used buttermilk in a heavy proportion for the first time in a layered cake, because the layers were supposed to be thin and the buttermilk's acidity could give great rise to a cake which used no egg whites for lightness.
Recipe:
Ingredients
For the cake:
2 cups of caster sugar
2 cups of softened butter
2 cups of flour
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup melted white chocolate
2 tbsp condensed milk
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp baking soda
1/2 tsp instant coffee powder
A pinch of salt
Food coloring
For the Buttercream:
450 gm softened butter
4 cups of icing sugar
1 cup white chocolate ganache
Juice of 1 lemon
Method
Cream together the butter and the sugar till butter is pale and smooth. Add in the condensed milk and buttermilk and combine. Add the melted chocolate. Sift in the coffee and flour with the baking agents. Top with salt and fold gently till combined. Divide into two and add food colors as desired. Transfer to 2 baking dishes and cook at 170*C for 45 minutes.
For the buttercream, whip up the chocolate ganache till pale and light. In a separate bowl, whip up the butter and sugar. Adjust the sugar or butter according to the consistency desired. Top with lemon juice and combine with the white chocolate.
To assemble, line each layer with equal amount of buttercream, leaving approximately 85-95 gm of it for a crumb coat and 180gm for the final layer. Crumb coat the cake after icing it, then chill in the fridge before frosting it completely. Top with fresh fruit and herbs, or candy!