Vanilla Bean Layer Cake

Ingredients

Difficulty: Medium

• 345g cake flour
• 400g caster sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 230g unsalted butter, softened
• 4 eggs plus 2 yolks
• 320ml buttermilk
• 2 vanilla beans, seeds scraped
• 4 egg whites and 300g butter, for the buttercream

Method

1. 1

   Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then beat in the softened butter until sandy.

2. 2

   Add the eggs, yolks, buttermilk, and vanilla seeds and beat until smooth and pale.

3. 3

   Divide between three lined 20cm tins and bake at 175C for 26 to 30 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

4. 4

   For the buttercream, warm the egg whites and sugar over a bain-marie, whip to stiff glossy peaks, then beat in the soft butter.

5. 5

   Cool the layers completely, then stack and crumb-coat with a thin layer of buttercream.

6. 6

   Chill, then finish with a smooth final coat and swirls on top.