Cardamom cake with orange blossom buttercream

delicious. tips

1. The butter and cream cheese for the buttercream need to be at the same temperature before they’re mixed. Take them out of the fridge at the same time to warm up. If your buttercream is too soft after mixing, chill for an hour or so until firmer. If the cakes will be on display for a while before being served, give them a bit of time in the fridge to firm up – they’ll sit much more happily if they’re cold to begin with.

   Choose from these styles:

   MAKE IT 3 LAYERS:
   Use 3 x deep 23cm tins in step 1. Each layer will take about 35-40 minutes to cook. Don’t slice horizontally.

   MAKE IT 6 LAYERS:
   Use 3 x deep 18cm tins in step 1. They’ll take the same time as the 20cm sponges. Cut each into two, as in the recipe, before stacking.

   How to slice horizontally:
   

2. The iced cake will keep chilled for 2-3 days, but is best on the day it’s made. Wrap un-iced sponges in cling film, then freeze in their tins for up to
   3 months. Defrost before icing.

3. For (inedible) decoration, we used olive leaves, red-berried eucalyptus and wax flowers (from florists) and sugared crab apples. Want to use other flowers or leaves? Check with your florist as to whether they’re food-safe. When you buy the flowers and foliage, buy florist’s tape and wrap it around exposed cut ends before putting on the cake.

   How to sugar-frost fruit and petals:

   This is an easy method and works particularly well with any fruit with a firm skin, or petals or small flowers. Whisk 2 egg whites in a bowl using a fork until frothy. Using a small paintbrush or pastry brush, gently paint a layer of egg white onto your chosen fruit or flower. Drop onto a plateful of caster sugar or granulated sugar (depending on the look you’re going for) and toss very gently to coat. Lay out on baking paper on top of a cooling rack and leave somewhere dry and cool for 1-2 hours until hardened. They will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container – the more delicate the object, the quicker it will deteriorate.