Happy blog birthday to Kerry Cooks! Every year I make a birthday cake for my blog (which I heroically eat on its behalf). This year, wanted to make a quintessential birthday cake – but better!
At heart, this cake is a regular Victoria sponge style recipe, but it differs in a few ways (which make it The Best Peggy Porschen Very Vanilla Layer Cake!):
- Super vanilla flavour – it has THREE kinds of vanilla to really help the flavour sing. That’s liquid extract (I love this one, and also making my own), vanilla bean paste (I love this one) and the seeds of two vanilla beans. I buy mine in bulk online, and when I’ve scraped out the seeds, I chuck the empty pods until a jar of caster sugar to infuse it with vanilla flavour
- Super moist – the cake is infused with a sugar syrup, to help it stay moist and keep well for a few days – the same method as in my favourite vanilla cupcakes (a signature of Peggy Porschen whose recipe this one was originally based on). If this step seems like too much faff to you, you can skip it, but it really is very simple and easy and makes a difference, especially if your cake needs to keep for a few days
- The frosting – it’s like a dreamy vanilla bean cloud. I have literally never had a more delicious vanilla buttercream. The buttercream is lightened up with Greek Yoghurt to cut through the sweetness, and it ends up tasting just like amazing vanilla ice cream
Sounds pretty great huh? But wait, it’s simple and straightforward too! One-bowl, disposable baking tins, and just a few minutes to whip up! A stand mixer really comes in handy for the frosting, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t make it by hand too.
The Best Peggy Porschen Very Vanilla Layer Cake
2014-03-08 09:55:57
Serves 12
A simple to make, one-bowl four-layer vanilla sponge cake, topped with dreamily light vanilla-bean frosting. A fabulous Peggy Porschen recipe, adapted!
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
1 hr
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
158g
Servings
12
Amount Per Serving
Calories 678
Calories from Fat 342
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 39g
60%
Saturated Fat 24g
120%
Trans Fat 2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Cholesterol 161mg
54%
Sodium 31mg
1%
Total Carbohydrates 78g
26%
Dietary Fiber 0g
2%
Sugars 64g
Protein 4g
Vitamin A
25%
Vitamin C
0%
Calcium
2%
Iron
3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
For the sugar syrup
- 100ml water
- 75g caster or golden caster sugar
For the cake
- 200g softened unsalted butter
- 200g golden caster sugar
- 4 large free range eggs
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- seeds of one vanilla bean
For the frosting
- 350g unsalted butter, softened
- 500g icing sugar
- 3 tbsp greek yoghurt
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- seeds of one vanilla bean
For the sugar syrup
- In a small saucepan over a medium heat, combine the water and sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens to a loose syrup. Set aside to cool.
For the cake
- Preheat your oven to 160c/gas mark 4/345f. Prepare four 6" disposable cake tins - mine are from Wilko's. I greased them by melting two tablespoons of butter in the microwave, and then brushing the inside of each aluminium tin generously.
- In a stand mixer or a large bowl (I actually made mine by hand as I didn't want to wash my mixer bowl to make the frosting!), combine the very soft butter and sugar. You may need to microwave the butter to soften, but don't let it melt completely.
- Next, measure out your flour and give it a whisk to work out any lumps. Start cracking your four eggs into the butter-sugar mixture, adding about a quarter of the flour each time and stirring the mix thoroughly to incorporate everything between each egg.
- Lastly, add your vanillas! Getting the seeds out of a vanilla pod can be a little fiddly, so have a look at the video posted above. Give everything a final mix, and then divide the mixture between the four tins. I usually do this by eye, but you can weigh your mix if you prefer. Use a small offset palette knife or the back of a spoon to smooth down the batter.
- Cook your cakes in the middle of the oven - we don't want them to rise up too quickly and become domed - we want nice flat cakes! Mine took 25 minutes, but keep an eye on your cakes and remove from the oven to cool as soon as a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean of cake batter.
- Once your cakes are almost completely cool and still in their pans, poke some holes in each with a toothpick or fork about two thirds of the way through, and drizzle over 2-3 tbsps of the sugar syrup. Set aside for another 30 minutes to cool completely before you remove from the pans. The amazing thing about tin foil pans, is that if you're having trouble getting the cake out, you can simply cut down the sides of the pans, allowing you to get a spatula completely under the flat of the cake, and get it out successfully.
For the frosting
- While the cakes are cooking, its the perfect time to make our frosting! Pop your very soft butter into a stand mixer and set it running on high speed. Let it whip up for about 3-4 minutes, and then add your icing sugar.
- The way I do this is to pull up the stand mixer, position a sieve over the bowl, and drop it in about 150g at a time, and then mix to incorporate. This helps stop massive clouds of icing sugar overtaking you! Continue until you're happy with the consistency and taste of the frosting (you may not have to use all the 500g icing sugar to get there, or you may even need more - it's down to you). Whip the frosting for a further 4 minutes, and then add the greek yoghurt and vanillas with the mixer running. You should be left with an amazing, pillowy vanilla cloud! Set aside until you're ready to frost your cake - vanilla buttercream will firm up on the counter unless its a very hot day, so doesn't need to be kept in the fridge. Give it another beating before you use it to loosen it back up again.
To frost your cake
- Pop the first layer onto a pretty serving plate or cake stand, and dollop on 3 tbsp of frosting. Smooth it out across the cake and down around the sides, trying to cover right down to the bottom of the cake. Repeat with the next three layers, aiming to get a relatively even covering of frosting on the whole cake. It won't be perfect yet - this is just the first, crumb coat. Next, pop your cake into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
- Add another layer of frosting - an offset spatula is very helpful here! Keep adding frosting and chilling until you've used up all the frosting, and your cake looks good! If the surface is a little bumpy, try dipping your spatula into boiling water - it gives a really smooth effect.
- Add sprinkles and chill. Bring to room temperature to serve.
- This cake should keep for up to 6 days in an airtight tin, or covered in foil.
Adapted from Liz Bakes Cakes
Adapted from Liz Bakes Cakes
Kerry Cooks https://kerrycooks.com/
Needless to say, this cake would be perfect for a birthday celebration. With the sprinkles and vanilla, it’s the epitome of birthday cake.
x Kerry
To make this cake, you might like to get some of these pretty sprinkes. An offset spatula like the one I use also comes in handy – for just a few pounds I’d definitely recommend getting one if you’re a frequent baker. For dreamily fluffy vanilla frosting, a stand mixer is definitely essential, but they don’t have to cost the earth – mine was under £50, and I love it!
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lauren says
February 20, 2018 at 9:17 pmHi, I’ve just found this recipe and it looks yummy. I’m going to be attempting a checkerboard cake so was looking for a very vanillay flavour. I’m also going to use your chocolate cake recipe for the other colour cake. I’m trying both recipes and practising making the cake tomorrow. I just wondered, if I make the “real” cakes also tomorrow, could I freeze them and thaw before putting together next weekend. If so, should I put on the sugar syrup before freezing or once thawed? Thanks so much!
GLynis says
June 6, 2017 at 5:46 pmThis cake looks lovely. Would it be suitable for. A wedding cake covered with fondant?
tor says
May 12, 2017 at 9:20 pmHI THere! I love the look of this recipe but would like to adjust it for 2 x 10″ cake tins so I can cut them in half to make a 4-tier 10″ cake. To do that, would I multiply the quantities of the ingredients by 3? and how long would i bake the two cakes for and at what temp? i hope you can shed some light as i’m desperately trying to find a recipe to make for my child’s birthday party! thanks 🙂
Kerry Cooks says
May 13, 2017 at 6:13 pmHi Tor, hope you’re well! This cake is 6 inches, so to make it two thick ten inch layers, I think multiplying the ingredients by 3 would work well. If you have too much mixture, you can make some cupcakes with some too!
I’d bake them at the same temp – 160C – how long they take will depend on your oven but at least 30 – 40 mins. Just keep an eye on them and test them when you think they’re nearly done. Good luck!
lizbakescakes says
June 13, 2014 at 6:25 amThis looks fantastic! I must try that icing recipe 🙂
Jelena says
March 12, 2014 at 12:02 pmAs I love Peggy’s cakes, I will definitely give it a try. Thank you Kerry for posting it.
Kerry Cooks says
March 12, 2014 at 6:17 pmThanks Jelena! I love them too, she is really reliable!
Kat says
March 10, 2014 at 8:41 pmA very yummy and pretty way to celebrate your third blogiversary!
Erin says
March 10, 2014 at 10:56 amCongratulations on 3 years of Kerry Cooks! Amazing blog! I’d be very happy with that cake for my birthday…now, to think of who I can bake it for…
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Kerry Cooks says
March 10, 2014 at 1:08 pmThanks so much Erin! Me too! 🙂