Vanilla Malt Layer Cake
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 70 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
- 115g/1 stick butter, softened
- 120ml/4fozs. oil
- 290g/10ozs. caster or superfine sugar
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 390g/13.8ozs. cake flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup malt powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
For vanilla malt buttercream
- 150g/5ozs. butter, softened
- 4-5 cups sifted icing sugar
- 1 cup malt powder
- 4 tablespoons milk
For peanut butter filling
- 1/3 cup salted peanuts
- 100g/3.5ozs. peanut butter
- 1/2 cup of the vanilla malt buttercream from above
Step 1 - Grease and line the base and sides of 2x 15cms/6inch round springform tins. Preheat oven to 150C/300F. Beat the butter, oil and sugar until smooth. Then add the eggs and vanilla until mixed. In a jug or bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, malt powder and salt and then add this in in two batches alternating with the buttermilk until just mixed. Divide between two tins and bake for 50-55 minutes or until centre springs back when touched. Cool completely (the cakes can be baked a day ahead).
Step 2 - Make the buttercream. Beat the butter until smooth and then on low speed add the icing sugar and malt powder and mix for a few seconds or until incorporated. Add a little milk to make the batter less stiff and then beat for a few minutes until fluffy. Place in a piping bag.
Step 3 - Make the peanut butter filling by blending the ingredients together.
Step 4 - Cut each cake in half horizontally. Place one round on the cake stand and pipe the buttercream onto the cake. On the second and third layer cut out a 10cm/4inch round from the centre and then place on top. Pipe more buttercream around the edge and fill the circle cavity with the peanut butter filling. Repeat with the fourth layer and then pipe buttercream on top.
Step 5 - Top with salted caramel popcorn and white chocolate bark.