WEDDING CAKES – DIFFERENT SIZES AND TIERS

WEDDING CAKES – DIFFERENT SIZES AND TIERS
The 6 inch cake:
3 egg(s), free range, large
225 g unrefined dark Muscovado sugar
225 g butter, unsalted, softened
175 g self-raising white flour
50 g cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
The 6 inch cake filling:
100 g butter, unsalted
300 g icing sugar
40 ml milk, whole
½ tsp vanilla extract (we like Nielsen Massey)

The 9 inch tier cake:
8 egg(s), free range, large
450 g unrefined dark Muscovado sugar (we like Billington’s)
450 g butter, unsalted, softened
400 g self-raising white flour
50 g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
The 9 inch cake filling:
200 g butter, unsalted
600 g icing sugar
80 ml milk, whole
1 tsp vanilla extract (we like Nielsen Massey)

The 12 inch tier cake:
10 egg(s), free range, large
680 g unrefined dark Muscovado sugar (we like Billington’s)
680 g butter, unsalted, softened
600 g self-raising white flour
80g cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking powder
The 12 inch cake filling:
400 g butter, unsalted
1360 g icing sugar
160 ml milk, whole
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract (we like Nielsen Massey)
For the finishing touch:
1 bunch flowers
To dust: icing sugar
6″ / 8″ / 12″ cake boards
10 (minimum) cake dowels

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 4) Grease and line three 6 inch sandwich cake tins or one deep 6 inch cake tin.
For the 6 inch cake, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one by one, beating between each addition.
Mix together in a separate bowl the baking powder, flour and cocoa powder then gradually fold into the wet mix.
Pour the mixture into the tin or split between the three tins and bake until cooked throughout for approximately 30-35 minutes. Follow the same method for the 9″ and 12″ cakes, baking the 9” for 45-50 minutes and the 12” for 70-75 minutes. (Bake times may vary between ovens).
Leave to cool on a wire rack.

To make the buttercream, beat together the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract then gradually add the milk to loosen.
Once the cakes are fully cooled, carefully slice them into 3 layers (if you baked in a deep cake tin) and sandwich them together with the vanilla buttercream. Place a small amount of buttercream on to a thin cardboard cake board (appropriate size for your cake) and secure the cake on top.

To assemble the cake, insert four or more dowels (you may want to use more on the bottom tier as it will be holding more weight) in to the centre of each cake, spaced evenly apart to distribute the weight of the cakes. Mark the dowel where it reaches the top of the cake and remove.
Carefully, cut the dowels so that they become the depth of the cake. Reinsert the dowels in the holes that you made in the cake.
When you are ready to assemble, place the 8” cake in the centre on top of the 12” cake, ensuring that the dowels are holding the weight.
When the cake is secured, stack the 6” cake on top of 8” cake.
Dust the sponges with icing sugar for the finishing touch and decorate as you wish with fresh flowers, berries and fruit or your own wedding cake topper.

Notes:
Before you put your fondant on, make sure it is completely cooled off. I leave it for about 20 min …. always crumb your cake first and then leave to dry, then only do you apply your bottom layer before layering you thinly as possible rolled out fondant.
It is important you use the vanilla extract and not the essence.
Photo’s and recipe by CA Klopper