Valentine’s Day Vanilla Buttermilk Cake

Heart-shaped and deliciously soft, this vanilla sponge is so light and fluffy. Sandwiched with fresh double cream and topped with raspberries, it’s a perfect Valentine’s bake or for any time of year!

  • Juliet sear valentine bake
  • juliet sear valentine bake
  • Juliet sear valentine bake
  • juliet sear valentine bake

EQUIPMENT

  • 2 x 23cm heart-shaped tins (or you can use round if you prefer)
  • Stand mixer or electric hand whisk
  • Bowl
  • Cake stand or plate
  • Piping bag with large round nozzle
  • Baking paper

 

INGREDIENTS

For the sponge (Top Tip: Have your ingredients at room temp)

  • 200g softened unsalted butter
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 4 medium free-range eggs
  • 225g flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 125g Buttermilk
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste

For the filling and topping

  • 450g double cream
  • 25g icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 300g Raspberries

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan, grease the baking tins, and line the base and sides with baking paper.
  2. Add the butter, sugar and vanilla to a bowl, then cream until fluffy and pale.
  3. Then, beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix the salt and baking powder into the flour.
  5. Add half of the flour mix to the creamed butter, sugar and vanilla and beat in on slow, if using a stand mixer.
  6. Add the buttermilk and mix through, then add the rest of the flour mix, using a slow speed, until just combined.
  7. Divide the batter between the tins, smooth to level and bake for around 20-25mins until golden, cooked in the centre and slightly shrinking away from the edges of the tins.
  8. Turn out of the tins after 5 mins then leave to cool completely.
  9. To fill, whip the double cream, sugar and vanilla to soft peak consistency and then pop into a piping bag.
  10. Place one sponge layer onto a plate or stand and pipe little blobs of cream around the outside, then fill in the middle (alternatively you can just spoon or spread the cream over if you don’t wish to pipe it).
  11. Top with the second sponge, repeat with the cream and then decorate over the top with fresh raspberries.
  12. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated for 2 days but make sure to bring to room temperature before eating.

Professional baker and author, Juliet Sear has created this delicious recipe exclusively for Rangemaster using her Elise 110cm Dual Fuel range cooker.