It’s supposed to be summer, but unfortunately, the rainy weather is back in the UK. As you may know, we only get a short period of hot, sunny days here. However, I have a treat for you today! I want to share with you a mouth-watering recipe for a Summer Fruit Layer Cake, perfect for this summer season.
Please note that this cake has 6 layers and is quite large. If you want to make a smaller cake with 3 layers, simply use half the amount of ingredients. When you cut into it, you’ll find a delightful surprise! The base is a classic sponge, and each layer is covered with smooth buttercream and fresh fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries – whichever you prefer.
Ingredients for the cake, you’ll need:
For this recipe, you will need 3 cups of caster sugar, 3 cups of plain flour, 3 cups of butter, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 8 eggs. You can also add a gel food colouring of your choice to give it a pop of colour. For the icing, you will need 4-5 cups of icing sugar or powdered sugar, 1/2 cup of softened butter, and 1/2 cup of milk (almond milk is also a great alternative). Finally, top it off with 4 cups of fresh fruit such as blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
Directions for the cake:
To begin, preheat the oven to 180°C. It’s important to ensure that your butter is at room temperature or slightly melted before adding it to the mixture, as this helps with the mixing process. Once the butter is ready, add the sugar and mix until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Then, add the eggs one at a time, along with some vanilla extract, and mix well.
After that, add the flour and baking powder and fold it in gently until it’s fully combined. If you’d like to add food colouring, separate the mixture equally into different bowls, each having different colours, and mix in the colouring until you achieve the desired shade. You won’t need much gel colouring. Next, bake the mixture in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the top is lightly golden brown. To ensure that the cakes are fully cooked, insert a skewer and see if it comes out clean without any mixture sticking to it. If it comes out clean, your cakes are ready. Bake all of your cakes and allow them to cool down completely before assembling.
Direction for the buttercream:
While the cake is cooling, you can prepare the buttercream. Begin by gradually adding 1/4 cup of icing sugar at a time to a bowl of butter until it is fully blended. Once the mixture thickens, slowly add a teaspoon of milk at a time until it reaches a spreadable consistency that can form peaks when lifted. This should make it easy to spread over your cake layers. If you plan to include fruit in the filling, be sure to thinly slice it so that your layers are not too wide.
Directions to assemble the cake:
After allowing the cakes to cool completely, place the bottom layer on a plate, cake stand, or any surface of your choice. Spread a spoonful of buttercream on the top of the cake and use a spatula to smooth and spread it across the cake. Choose your desired fruit and spread it evenly across the cake, repeating the process for each layer. Once you reach the top layer, spread buttercream all over the cake and smooth out the sides, though this is optional. You may choose to leave the sides plain. Finally, arrange fruit on top and serve. Remember, allowing the cakes to cool is important to avoid the buttercream from running off.
