The Ombré Project!!!

So my friend is heavily pregnant, and her sister and I decided to throw a baby shower...

I've been wanting to try out this amazing cake that I keep seeing on blogs, the Ombré cake... What is Ombré you ask... well that was my question too... Basically, it is just a fancy name (french of course) for faded.... I made a pink Ombré cake, and I am proud as punch that it came out oh so awesome as it did....  After searching HIGH and low for a good/easy/practical recipe I came across Tummy Train This site is amazing and includes step by step pictures too!! (HURRAH!!!) Which the author got off  Le Cordon Bleu

The cake is super soft and moist.... and salted icing is amazing and the fact that the layers are sandwiched with jam makes it nicer to eat, not as sweet as it would be....

For the cake

1. 355 grams (about 2 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour*
2. 1 tablespoon baking powder
3. 1/2 teaspoon salt
4. 225 millilitres (less than 1 cup) milk
5. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6. 400 grams (about 1 3/4 cups) caster sugar
7. 225g (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
8. 4 medium eggs
9. Pink food colour
10. Strawberry Jam, to spread between layers

For the icing

1. 400 grams (about 3 1/2 cups) confectioner's sugar, sifted
2. 200 grams (about 2 sticks) salted butter, chopped into cubes and softened to room temperature
3. Extra table salt to taste
4. Sprinkles, to decorate (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease whatever 7 or 8-inch round cake tins you have. You may or may not line the base of your tins with baking paper, but make sure to properly grease and dust the tins (and paper, if using) with flour. Tap out the excess flour.

Make the cake

1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. In a measuring glass, mix milk and vanilla together until vanilla is fully incorporated.
3. Using electric mixer on low speed, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until blended. Increase speed to high and beat for 2 mins or until pale and creamy.
4. Reduce speed to medium low. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add a third of the flour mixture into the bowl, alternating with half the milk mixture. Add half of the flour mixture again, then pour in the last of the milk mixture. Scrape the bowl before adding the last of the flour mixture, beating until smooth. Make sure to begin and end with the flour mixture.
6. Divide mixture evenly into 5 medium bowls. Leave one bowl of batter white, then very gradually add colouring to each bowl and gently fold it into the mixture, adding slightly more colouring as you do each bowl so that the 5 bowls give you a even gradient of colour.
7. Pour batter into prepared tins and bake each layer for about 15-20 minutes***, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean and the outside is golden. The sides of the cake would have begun to pull away from the tin as well.
8. Cool cakes in the tin for 5 minutes and then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Prepare the icing

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on high until smooth and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium-low to prevent the sugar from flying everywhere, and gradually add the confectioner's sugar until combined.
2. Increase speed to high and beat until icing is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes or so. Gradually add any extra table salt to taste if needed.

Prepare cake for icing

1. Depending on the size and shape of the tray you use, you may want to trim the tops of your cake layers a bit to make sure they are level, but it's all right if you don't. Layer cakes with jam (or more icing), using a spatula to gently even out the filling. 
2. You may stack the cakes according to your preference, either from the dark colour up or starting from the light colour.

Quick Tips/ Things to remember

• Before you start >>> 1 stick of butter = 100g
• Remember to dust your cake trays with flour 
• Break egg in to a separate cup and then add to the batter. (to avoid any unwanted bits going in to the cake batter)

I cane bake one for you!!!

Just let me know!!

xoxo
 D