Blueberry Buttercream Sponge Cake

What better way to test drive my brand new Artisan Kitchen Aid mixer, than to bake a cake! I got the Kitchen Aid from my husband as a birthday present a few weeks ago, and no better start than to make his own birthday cake with the maiden voyage.

I'm new to cake baking, but with the Kitchen Aid, I have found it very easy. I've also found this recipe to be very adaptable......I made a Strawberry Buttercream Sponge Cake for my mother's birthday a few months ago, using the same recipe just substituting the strawberries for blueberries and using whipped cream and strawberry jam as the filling instead of the buttercream icing, as I have here.

Basic Sponge Recipe

Ingredients

• 175g of caster sugar
• 175g of butter
• 175g of flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and butter 2 round cake tins (20cms diameter)
2. In a food mixer, add the butter. 
3. Soften the butter by turning on the mixer to the lowest setting. Add the sugar gradually whilst the mixer is going, until all the sugar and butter are fully incorporated.
4. Whilst the mixer is still going add the eggs one by one, allowing to each egg to be mixed in, add the vanilla extract also
5. Sieve the baking powder and the flour into the mixer and just mix until incorporated.
6. Divide the mixture equally between the two cake tins.
7. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes before allowing to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Blueberry Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 150g of butter, softened
• 300g icing sugar
• 50g of blueberries, blitzed
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 tsp of blue food colouring

Method

1. In a food mixer, completely blend the butter and while the mixer is on its very lowest setting, add the icing sugar a little at a time allowing each scoop to be incorporated into the butter before adding the next scoop.
2. Add the blueberry puree and vanilla extract and mix into the buttercream.
3. Finally add the food colouring and give a final mix to blend everything together.

Assembling the Cake

• 20-30 blueberries to decorate required

Method

1. Place one sponge on a cake stand or plate
2. Using a spatula, smooth on a layer of buttercream, and spread evenly.
3. Top with the other sponge, and spread the top with another layer of buttercream.
4. Using a warm spatula, spread the buttercream around the sides and even and smooth it out.
5. To decorate the cake, place a line of blueberries around the edge of the cake. You may wish to repeat this with many smaller circles into the centre of the cake, however I just used a simple love heart design as the cake was for my husband.(and I ran out of blueberries)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALAN!