Cake time

Patient Girlfriend's birthday was yesterday, and what is a birthday without cake?  One of our favorite bakeries in Brooklyn made a cake months and months ago that Patient Girlfriend has been talking about ever since: moist yellow cake, vanilla butter cream frosting, raspberry filling, topped with coconut.  One of the things I love most about One Girl Cookies is that their cake stands on its own.  It is not just a vehicle for the frosting as is the case with so many cakes.

Mine turned out a fair shade less attractive than a One Girl Cake largely in part due to the thin consistency of my frosting.  Other than that, I, and Patient Girlfriend, were very very happy with the cake.

Sponge Cake


1 cup very soft butter (2 sticks)
1 1/3 cup self-rising flour
2 Tbsp corn starch
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp milk


2 8 inch round cake pans, at least 2 inches deep


Pre-heat the oven to 350.  In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.  Add the vanilla.  Add one egg at a time, with a bit of flour between each egg.  Add the rest of the flour and cornstarch and incorporate well.  Add a bit of  the milk slowly until the batter is very slightly runny (not easy to pour, but drops nicely off a wood spoon.)

Line the cake pans with parchment paper and grease or butter the sides.  Pour equal portions of the batter into each pan.  Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are gold and the edges have begun to pull away from the pan.

Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before turning out the cakes.  Let stand until cool.

Filling


Raspberry preserves (reduced sugar if possible)
Shredded coconut

The filling is simple: spread enough preserves on the top of each cake to thinly cover the entire cake.  Sprinkle with coconut.  Done.

Carefully stack the cakes, topped sides facing each other.

Buttercream frosting 
1/2 cup very soft butter (1 stick)
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract 
1/3 cup milk

Cream the butter in a large bowl.  Add and combine the sugar, vanilla, milk.  Beat until smooth and firm.

Now to be honest, cake decorating is not something I have practiced extensively (as is evident by the pictures.)  This frosting spread well along the top of the cake, but was too runny to cover the sides cleanly.  Any suggestions?

Toppings


1 small pomegranate, seeded
6 oz. fresh raspberries.

Cover the sides and top with pomegranate seeds, decorate the top with the raspberries.

 So it didn't turn out to be the prettiest thing I have ever made, though it is a lot prettier than some of the things that have come out of my kitchen.  The cake was delicious.  The frosting was sweet, but not sickeningly so, and most importantly, it did not overpower the flavor of the cake.  Hope you enjoy.

Bonk appétit!