Ultimate Vanilla Celebration Cake by Nielsen-Massey

Total Time
4h 5m
- Prep Time
  1h 30m
- Bake Time
  2h 35m
Serves
16

Skill Level
Intermediate
Dietary Needs
NF/Veg
- Nut free
- Vegetarian
5 Reviews

5 star rating

There's cake then there is the Nielsen Massey Ultimate Vanilla Celebration Cake. A classic 4 layer Vanilla sponge cake, infused with a Vanilla syrup to make it extra moist, filled and covered with an indulgent Vanilla Bean buttercream. The pièce de résistance are the Rose Water Meringue Kisses and Macaron decorations. Whilst this cake looks like a real showstopper it actually isn't as complicated as you would think (but your guests don't need to know that!)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 5). Put some water in a cake tin or roasting tin and set in the bottom of the oven. Prepare four 7" sandwich tins by lining with baking parchment.
Cream together the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric hand whisk, until pale and fluffy.
- 400g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
- 400g Billington's Golden Caster Sugar
Add the eggs in 3 parts, beating well after each addition so that the egg is well incorporated. Add the vanilla. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold in lightly with a metal spoon, until the mixture is even. Add the milk and mix.
- 6 Free Range Large Eggs
- 1 tsp Nielsen Massey Vanilla Extract
- 400g Allinson Self-Raising White Flour
- 3 tbsp Milk (Whole)
Spoon the mix into tins and bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
Whilst the cake is cooling make the vanilla syrup by heating together the sugar and vanilla in a pan until all of the sugar has dissolved.
- 100g Billington's Golden Caster Sugar
- 1 tsp Nielsen Massey Vanilla Bean Paste
Carefully poke holes in the top of your sponges and pour over some of the syrup allowing the sponge to soak it up.
To make the buttercream; beat together the butter, icing sugar and vanilla bean paste until soft and fluffy. You can add a drop of milk to loosen the buttercream if needed.
- 300g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
- 600g Silver Spoon Icing Sugar
- 1 tbsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste
Layer the sponge with jam and buttercream, then coat the whole cake in buttercream. Pop in the fridge to chill before adding an additional layer of buttercream. To get a smooth finish, run a pallet knife under boiling water before smoothing round the cake.
- 1 Raspberry Jam (Jar)
Decorate the cake with Rose Water Meringues Kisses and vanilla Macarons.

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Reviews

23 November 2020

5 star rating

Amazing cake but can I use oil which will make the cake lighter and fluffier?
________________________________________________
Hello,

By creaming together butter and sugar, the cake will rise more evenly, creating a fluffier cake and lighter crumb. The advantage of using oil in a cake is that the batter is looser, which helps the texture of the cake as well as makes the cake lighter.
Happy Baking!
07 September 2020

5 star rating

I love your recipes! I was wondering if you can tell me how to make this cake with three 8inch cake tins please??
_______________________________________________
Hello,

I would recommend instead of 400g to use 525g.
8 eggs instead of 6 and 4 tbsp. milk instead of 3.
Hope this helps.
Happy Baking!
11 June 2020

5 star rating

Hi I love you recipes, can you tell me how to make this 3x 8inch - 7 or 8 eggs? Thank you xxx
09 June 2020

5 star rating

First time I’ve ever made a big cake, everyone loved it and now I’m making it again for my little boys first birthday. The recipe is really easy to follow and the cake is so tasty!
15 March 2020

5 star rating

It looked amazing and tasted great!!

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400g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
400g Billington's Golden Caster Sugar

This is the highest quality caster sugar available and is a great natural alternative to refined caster sugar. It has a warm golden colour from its unrefined nature and is fine grained with a subtle buttery taste, making it perfect for deliciously light sponges, shortbread and macaroons.
6 Free Range Large Eggs
400g Allinson Self-Raising White Flour
2 tsp Nielsen Massey Vanilla Extract

Vanilla extract is a superior flavouring ingredient, derived solely from the vanilla pod by soaking it in alcohol and water. Only vanilla extract has the true flavour and aroma of vanilla pods, producing a fuller, richer taste which will transform the taste of any recipe. Vanilla is also a flavour enhancer so will work with other ingredients and flavours in a recipe to give amazing results! It is a versatile ingredient which can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes, try it in your cakes, cupcakes and buttercream.

We always recommend using an extract rather than essence when baking. Our favourite extract is Nielsen-Massey, it gives consistently great results, the vanilla pods are hand picked in the finest growing regions of Mexico, Tahiti and Madagascar and enter a cold extraction process to extract the vanilla from the pod whilst still preserving over 300 flavour compounds.
3 tbsp Milk (Whole)

100g Billington's Golden Caster Sugar

This is the highest quality caster sugar available and is a great natural alternative to refined caster sugar. It has a warm golden colour from its unrefined nature and is fine grained with a subtle buttery taste, making it perfect for deliciously light sponges, shortbread and macaroons.
1½ tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste

Like vanilla extract, this product is made using the whole vanilla pod. A sugar syrup base (rather than alcohol) gives the product a thicker consistency which allows you to add more delicious vanilla flavour without thinning batters or sauces. Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste has a delicious aroma and taste and includes seeds so is an ideal substitute for vanilla pods in recipes, such as crème brûlée and ice cream, where you want to add the enticing visual flecks of vanilla seeds without the time or effort of using a vanilla pod. Vanilla bean paste can be used as a direct substitute for vanilla extract or vanilla pods: 1 tsp bean paste = 1 tsp extract = 1 vanilla pod Our favourite is the Nielsen-Massey Madagascan Bean Paste.

300g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
600g Silver Spoon Icing Sugar

This is refined white sugar ground to a fine powder with the addition of an anti-caking agent. It dissolves on contact with liquid and is therefore used to sweeten foods that require a smooth texture. It can be used to cover cupcakes and sponges, is easy to colour and flavour and is perfect for butter cream.
1½ tbsp Nielsen Massey Vanilla Bean Paste

Like vanilla extract, this product is made using the whole vanilla pod. A sugar syrup base (rather than alcohol) gives the product a thicker consistency which allows you to add more delicious vanilla flavour without thinning batters or sauces. Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste has a delicious aroma and taste and includes seeds so is an ideal substitute for vanilla pods in recipes, such as crème brûlée and ice cream, where you want to add the enticing visual flecks of vanilla seeds without the time or effort of using a vanilla pod. Vanilla bean paste can be used as a direct substitute for vanilla extract or vanilla pods: 1 tsp bean paste = 1 tsp extract = 1 vanilla pod Our favourite is the Nielsen-Massey Madagascan Bean Paste.

1 Raspberry Jam (Jar)

Ultimate Vanilla Celebration Cake by Nielsen-Massey

Total Time

Prep Time

Bake Time

Serves

Skill Level

Dietary Needs

5 Reviews

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Method

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Reviews

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Ingredients

For the Sponge

For the Vanilla Syrup

For the Buttercream

For the Filling

Utensils