chocolate-layer-cakeHappy Friday everyone, I hope your week has gone well and you have something wonderful planned for the weekend. I mentioned about a week ago that our laundry was being installed, well it’s now in and the finishing touches are happening as we speak. I can’t wait to show you how its turned out, we are really thrilled that the laundry is almost done. It means all the inside renovations are almost finished and the sorting and tidying up will begin! For those who are planning a weekend of pottering {or have something special planned} this very easy Chocolate & Vanilla Layer Cake would be perfect, I made it last week before my birthday it has just the right amount of chocolate and vanilla. I hope that everyone has a lovely weekend, I’d love to know what you have planned. x
Click read more for the recipe.

Chocolate & Vanilla Layer Cake

125g butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 180°C. Place butter and vanilla in a small saucepan and melt over a low heat. Pour butter and brown sugar into a bowl and mix with a electric beater until it looks a little like caramel. Add eggs and mix until combined. Add flour, cocoa powder and milk and beat on high for around 3 min or until the cake batter starts to lighten.
Pour batter into a buttered and floured cake tin and bake for around half an hour or until a skewer comes out clean.
I made two cakes one after another for the layer cake.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Icing

115g butter, room temperature
60ml milk
3 teaspoons vanilla essence
500g icing sugar
In a large bowl beat together the butter, milk, vanilla essence and half of the icing sugar. Once icing starts to thicken, gradually add the remaining icing sugar and beat to a smoother butter cream.
Once both cakes have cooled, thinly ice the bottom cake first, then place the second layer on and thinly ice. Place the cake in fridge for about 10min or until icing has set a little, then with the remaining icing thickly ice the whole cake. Sprinkle with 100’s and 1000’s if you like. This cake keeps very well in the fridge.

Tips

* The longer you whip this icing the whiter it will get. It can also be easily colored with food coloring.
* You can keep any unused icing in a airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Give it a little mix before icing.