5. Split the buttercream icing into four bowls. Use the food colouring to tint three of the bowls: one a pale colour, one medium and one a deep shade of the same colour.
6. Sandwich the cake layers on top of one another using the plain icing. Use a palette knife to cover the sides of the bottom third of the cake using the deepest colour icing. Cover the centre third with the medium icing, then spread the top third and the top of the cake with the pale icing.
7. Warm a clean, palette knife in boiling water, then run it around the cake sides to smooth out and blend the colours. Decorate the cake with flowers or as you prefer.
Mary Jo McMillin is the most wonderful cook and a great friend of everyone at Ballymaloe. She comes regularly from her home town of Chicago to spend time at the Cookery School and we all swap inspiration. This is Mary Jo’s version of the famous three-milks cake: rich, yet not heavy, and completely delicious.
Serves 8–10
butter for greasing
150g (5½oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g (5½oz) caster sugar
For the filling and topping
225ml (8fl oz) fresh double cream
1 × 400ml (14fl oz) tin sweetened condensed milk
110–175ml (4–6fl oz) whole milk
1½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp Grand Marnier or Cointreau (optional)
300ml (11fl oz) whipping cream
½ tbsp caster sugar
175g (6oz) raspberries
two 20cm (8in) cake tins; piping bag and medium star nozzle
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas mark 4. Grease the sides of the tins, and line the bases with baking parchment, then dust the sides with flour. Put the eggs, vanilla and sugar in a large bowl and whisk on high speed using an electric beater for 5 minutes until the mixture is pale and mousse-like.
2. Sift in the flour, then fold in thoroughly but lightly to retain the volume. Quickly divide the mixture between the two prepared tins and put in the centre of the oven to bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the tins on a wire rack for 2 minutes, then carefully turn out from the tins and remove the paper. Leave to cool completely.
3. To make the filling, put the cream in a large bowl and add the condensed milk, whole milk, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract and the Grand Marnier, if using. Mix together well.
4. Put the whipping cream in a bowl and whip until just holding its shape, then briefly stir in the sugar and remaining vanilla extract.
5. Using a small fruit knife, cut half the quantity of raspberries into halves. Put one layer of sponge on a serving plate, then use a cocktail stick to pierce holes over the surface.
6. Drizzle 200ml (7fl oz) of the condensed milk mixture over the sponge cake, then spread a thin layer of whipped cream on top and add the halved raspberries.
7. Top the berries with a thin layer of whipped cream. Put the second layer of sponge upside down on a plate. Make holes with a cocktail stick as before, then drizzle 3–4 tablespoons of the condensed milk mixture over the sponge. Now, quickly and carefully flip the second sponge layer over and put it on top of the first sponge. Poke more holes on the top of the sponge. Drizzle with a further 3 tablespoons of the condensed milk mixture until the cake feels moist but not very wet.
8. Spread the cake with some of the whipped cream, then pipe the remaining cream on top of the cake and around the sides and decorate with the whole raspberries. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve the cake with a drizzle of the remaining condensed milk mixture.
White chocolate and strawberry celebration cake
Here is a beautiful cake for a summer celebration. If made in the autumn, dark blackberries and blackberry jam would make a stunning substitute for the strawberries, providing a striking dark contrast against the white icing and chocolate.
Serves 10–12
250g (9oz) butter, plus extra for greasing
300g (11oz) caster sugar
3 large egg whites
1 tbsp vanilla extract
250g (9oz) plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
175ml (6fl oz) whole milk
For the topping
100g (3½oz) white chocolate, roughly chopped
250g (9oz) good-quality strawberry conserve
250g (9oz) strawberries, hulled edible fresh flowers such as nasturtiums, roses, pansies, borage, marigolds, lavender or carnations (optional)
icing sugar, for dusting
three 20cm (8in) sandwich tins
For the white chocolate buttercream
100g (3½oz) white chocolate, roughly chopped
2–3 egg whites, making 85g (3oz)
120g (4¼oz) icing sugar
240g (8¾oz) unsalted butter, softened and cubed
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas mark 4. Grease the sides of the tins, and line the bases with baking parchment. Put the butter in a large bowl and cream it with a wooden spoon until soft, or use an electric beater on slow or a food processor. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
2. Whisk the egg whites and vanilla extract into the mixture well to add lightness. Sift half the flour and baking powder over the butter mixture and fold in. Add half the milk and fold again to combine. Repeat to add the remaining flour and milk, folding carefully so that you don’t knock all the air out of the mixture.
3. Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins and bake for 20 minutes until they are risen and light golden, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the tins and leave on a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, make chocolate curls for the topping. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and stirring regularly. Spread thinly over the back of a baking sheet and leave it to cool in the fridge until firm but not fridge-hard.
5. Hold a long, sharp knife at the top of the baking sheet and tilt it at an angle towards you with one hand on the handle and the other at the top of the blade. Very carefully pull the knife towards you, scraping the chocolate as you go. Curls should start to peel up from the sheet. If it crumbles, the chocolate is too cold, and if it goes gooey, it’s too warm. Keep scraping down, returning the sheet to the fridge for a few minutes if it gets too warm, until you have shaved all the chocolate and collected enough curls for the top of the cake. Leave somewhere cool until needed. (They can be made a few days in advance.)
6. To make the white chocolate buttercream, melt the chocolate