Pink Vanilla Ombré Cake

For this layered cake I got a bit creative and wanted to add a pop of colour so I thought to make an Ombré cake but not the typical one. Ombré if you didn't know already is when start at a shade of a colour and fade into darker shades e.g light blue slowly fading into dark blue.When creating this cake, to be honest I didn't evenly divide my batter .That then caused my top layer of cake to become a bit to thin. Also I was in a bit of a rush and I didn't have time to refrigerate it, so it started to crumble Whoops!! e.g. why I needed the chocolate on top. Make sure if you choose to add the chocolate (who wouldn't it chocolate then check out the Tips & Notes. I choose to use Pink just because that what I had but feel free to mix the colors up or of course do a rainbow cake just use 3 x the original recipe from Light Vanilla Cupcake #1. I side note I should add is that be careful with what recipes you use as cupcakes then cake because some don't work out as well but this one works perfectly. 

Double the recipe if you want a taller cake

Ingredients  

Cake: 

-2 and /2 Self Rising Flour

- 4 Large Eggs (preferred at room temp) 

-1 and 1/2 cup Caster sugar 

-1 cup Vegetable oil (e.g canola or light extra olive oil)

-1 cup Buttermilk or ( 1 cup milk with 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice- add 5 mins before using)
-2 tsp Vanilla 

- Pink gel food colour ( or liquid)

Frosting: 

Swiss Buttercream

-Pink gel food colour (or liquid)

Decoration:

- Dark or Milk chocolate to melt for the top 

- 1 tsp of vegetable oil 

- White chocolate to grate on top

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C or 160C fan forced. Line 20 cm cake tins 2 or 4 
2. Sift the flour and set aside. (If creating buttermilk add acid to the milk now and stir ,setting it aside) 
3. In a bowl beat the eggs for 20 seconds until slightly frothy. Then add the sugar,beating again for 40 seconds. Lastly add the vanilla and oil,beat til combine.
   
   
   
4. When using a stand mixer,slowly add half of the flour,combine, add half the milk ,combine, then continue with the rest ( Order: flour,mix,milk,mix,flour,mix,milk mix til just combined) 
5. Divide batter into four portions and add some food colour ,mix (I used 1 tablespoon of liquid food colour) then add less food coloring to each portion. ( I used 1st portion: 1 tbsp 2nd portion: 1/2 tbsp 3rd portion: 1/4 tbsp and none for the last one) Mix until the food coloring is just combined. 
   
   
6. Pour each portion into a cake tins ( I did 2 at a time)
7. Bake the cupcakes in the oven for 10-16 mins or until they are spring to the touch. 
8. Cool in the pan for 5 mins then cool completely on a wire rack.

*** Make the frosting while the cake cools.

Follow the link ----Swiss Buttercream  for the frosting recipe. I used 1/2 of this recipe so feel free half it/

Put it all together!

1. Once the cakes have cooled you a start assembling the cake.
2.  Layer the cake and frosting, starting with the dark and fading into the little or the opposite. (I recommend using a turntable while frosting)
   
   
3. Once you have layered the layers together with frosting, you will want to crumb coat it. This simply means a thin layer or frosting around the cake to stop the crumbs but also fill the spaces. (Check Tips & Notes)
4. When you have finished the crumb coat either do another layer if you want to have not cake showing through or leave it like that ( I thought I didn't need it) 
5.  Now you can melt the chocolate (Check Tips & Notes) and pour it over the top of the cake. Let it set slightly before continuing.
6. To pipe the frosting I used a 1 M tip with a disposable piping bag. Simply put a couple of heaped tablespoons of the frosting,piped the first border at the top( by just squeezing a pulling away with the piping bag). Then add a little flood colouring to the frosting and repeat the process until you have  fully covered sides.
   
   
   

Tips & Notes 

** When you melt the chocolate to put on top of the cake add some vegetable oil to the melted chocolate. This make the chocolate easy to cut through when cutting the cake and avoid it from cracking. 

** Refrigerate the crumb coated cake for about 30 mins it will make the cake easier to frost ( or 15 mins in the freezer) 

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