Basic Vanilla Cake

A basic vanilla cake recipe is a necessity in any baker’s arsenal, whether hobbyist or professional. It serves as a base for many other flavours. From just a vanilla cake recipe you can add different essences or ingredients to yield a totally different cake. Addition of some lemon zest and voila lemon cake. Some roughly cut up oreos and you have cookies and cream, The possibilities are endless.

As part of my April Cakeathon and today being my birthday, I share how I make this simple yet delicious cake. The cake has a soft and tender crumb due to the use of mala.

To make the cake extra special, I filled it with some macerated strawberries and I made some white chocolate ganache for the frosting. To crown it all I added some flowers.

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for the cake

1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
(3/4 cup) 200 grams unsalted butter / margarine
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
2 1/2 cups (315 grams) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mala

for the white chocolate ganache

250 grams compound white chocolate cut into small pieces
250 grams double cream/ heavy cream/ non-dairy whipping cream

for the macerated strawberries

1 cup strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

Pre heat your oven at 180 degrees C

In a bowl combine the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well and set aside.

In a large bowl add the sugar and the unsalted butter/ margarine.

Using an electric mixer, cream until light and creamy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time and add the vanilla essence

Fold in a third of the flour mixture with a spatula or wooden spoon then half the mala, followed by another third of the flour and the remaining mala.

Fold in the last of the flour until incorporated and don't over mix.

Divide the cake batter into three 6 inch or 7 inch round tins or two 8 inch tins

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 180 degrees C or until a toothpick inserted at the centre comes out clean.

For the ganache

Heat up the heavy cream and pour over the white chocolate pieces, allow to stand for about a minute before stirring,

Allow to cool and let it set in the fridge. It's best to prepare this in advance

For the macerated strawberries

In a shallow bowl combine the strawberries and the sugar and rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Once the cakes are completely cooled frost with the whipped ganache while filling in-between the layer with the macerated strawberries.

Decorate as desired and enjoy.