'We love you Mum' cake | Emmylou Loves

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 110 g (½ cup) brown sugar
• 75 g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
• 1 cup plain flour, sifted twice
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder sifted
• 60 g butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
  
  

Filling

• ¾ cup strawberry jam (avoid using a smooth jam! The chunkier, the better)
  
  

Buttercream icing

• 250 g unsalted butter, softened
• 110 g (½ cup) brown sugar
• 500 g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract or paste
• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line two 20cm cake tins with baking paper and set them aside.
2. Beat sugars, eggs, and vanilla for 10 minutes to get some real volume into it. Don’t skip this step! Set a timer and beat for the full 10 minutes. Run your finger down the back of a spoon, and it should leave a trail.
3. Gently fold the sifted flour into the egg mixture, then add the cooled melted butter and fold again.
4. Divide the cake batter between the two prepared cake tins and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until it springs back when lightly pressed (the brown sugar gives it a dark amber colour so don’t panic!)
5. Once your sponges have cooked, turn them out onto a wire rack, peel off the baking paper and leave until completely cooled.
6. To make the icing, use your KitchenAid stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until nice and creamy and the sugar has dissolved. Set your timer and give yourself a good 8-10 minutes.
7. Grab a dessert spoon and start adding the icing sugar a spoonful at a time. Slow the mixer down with every addition, then beat a little faster to help it dissolve into the butter. When you are down to your last cup of icing sugar, add the vanilla, 1 tablespoon of milk and cinnamon. Spoon in the last of the icing sugar and beat for a further 3 minutes, adding the rest of the milk if you need it.
8. To assemble the cake, place one of the cakes down onto a cake stand/board. Carefully spread over the strawberry jam, making sure it’s an even layer. Place the second cake on top and using a large pallet knife start to apply a crumb coat over the entire cake and pop it in the fridge for about 20 minutes to set. (For those of you that don’t know what that is, it’s a very thin layer of icing that covers the entire cake. It keeps the moisture in and gives you an even base for when you do apply your final frosting…..Don’t skip this step!)
9. Decorate the cake with the remaining frosting, whichever way you desire. Enjoy!