White Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

This white chocolate cake is doozy. Soft and (yes I will say it) moist with a lovely deep caramel flavour, the addition of a buttercream infused with white chocolate and vanilla bean paste is not entirely necessary. But dammit why should that stop you! It's never stopped me...

Prep time: 25 Mins
Baking time: 50-55 Mins
For the Cake
175g Unsalted Butter
200g White Chocolate
175g Light Muscovado Sugar
3 Large Eggs (Beaten)
1tsp Vanilla Extract
125g Self Raising Flour
1/2tsp Baking Powder
100g Ground Almonds

For the Buttercream
85g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
200g Icing Sugar (Sifted)
100g White Chocolate (Melted)
1/2tsp Vanilla Paste

Let's begin. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, grease a 20cm deep cake and line completely with baking paper. Melt together the butter and white chocolate, either over a bain marie or in the microwave (if you are confident with your timings). Stir together until smooth and silky, then set to one side to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract for a good 30 seconds, then add the cooled melted chocolate and whisk again to combine. Sift in the flour and baking powder, fold through, then add the ground almonds and do the same until evenly combined. Spoon into your prepared tin, even to the edges and bake in the centre of the oven for around 50-55 minutes, until risen, golden brown on top and a metal skewer comes out slightly sticky with crumbs when inserted into the middle of the cake.

When you are happy the cake is baked remove from the oven and leave to cool for around 60 mins. Once the tin is cool until just warm remove the cake from the tin, peeling off the paper and leave to cool on a wire rack. The cake will sink a bit during cooling, but you'll be willing to take that hit after tasting it!

When the cake is cool you can prepare the buttercream. Cream together the butter and icing sugar, then add the chocolate along with the vanilla paste. Mix together until smooth, then spread all over your cake. Time to serve!