White Chocolate Berry Christmas Cake

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract/paste
• 2 cups milk
• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups (10oz/300g) frozen berries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 sticks (230g) butter (softened)
• 1 lb (500g) powdered sugar/icing sugar (sifted)
• 2 tsp vanilla paste
• 2 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

1. 1

   Sift together the dry ingredients into a medium mixing bowl.

2. 2

   Heat the milk and vanilla in a saucepan until hot, taking care not to allow the mixture to boil.

3. 3

   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment whip the eggs with the sugar for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.

4. 4

   The eggs will have tripled in volume.

5. 5

   Slowly pour in the oil and allow to whip into the egg mixture.

6. 6

   Stir the dry ingredients and the milk, alternatively, until the batter is smooth and creamy.

7. 7

   Pour the batter into lined and greased cake pans (approximately 20cm/8inch). Place in the oven and allow to bake for 40-45 minutes until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

8. 8

   Remove from the oven and allow to chill completely.

9. 9

   Combine the frozen berries, sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a saucepan set over medium heat.

10. 10

    Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then allow to boil gently for 10 minutes until the jam has thickened.

11. 11

    Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely.

12. 12

    Whip the softened butter until pale and fluffy then add the vanilla paste and sifted icing sugar and whip for a few minutes until super pale and fluffy.

13. 13

    Pour in the cream and mix for another minute.

14. 14

    Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle

15. 15

    Pipe blobs of the whipped buttercream around the edge of one of the cakes.

16. 16

    Use a pallet knife and smooth out the inside edge of the blob to cover some of the cake.

17. 17

    Add a few tablespoons of the berry jam then add another layer of cake.

18. 18

    Repeat the icing and jam step. Sandwich with the final cake layer then spread over icing and finish with fresh rosemary nd berries.

19. 19

    Dust with icing sugar and serve.