Serves: 16 slices | Prep Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 25 minutes
Frosting
350g softened unsalted butter
750g sifted icing sugar
200g cream cheese
2½ tbsp Camp Coffee
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
Sponges
200g spreadable butter or margarine
200g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
225g self-raising flour whisked with 1 tsp baking powder
125g buttermilk
2 tbsp Camp Coffee
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
You’ll need
2 x 20cm round cake tins, base and side lined
Stand mixer/electric beaters or wooden spoon and bowl
Palette knives
Cake smoother (optional)
Large bread knife
Edible flowers or chocolates/eggs to decorate
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan and prepare the tins.
2. Cream butter, vanilla and sugar until pale and fluffy, add the Camp Coffee and beat again.
3. Beat in eggs one by one, mixing well between each addition.
4. Add ½ the flour and gently fold into the mix. Then add ½ buttermilk, mix in and repeat with the rest of the flour and buttermilk.
5. Pour evenly between the tins, level off the batter and bake 20-25 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched and the sponge is cooked through in the centre.
6. Cool for 5 minutes, then turn out. Continue to cool, on a wire rack until completely cooled.
7. Make frosting by beating the butter and cream cheese, then add the icing sugar in slowly, beating well between each addition, until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla and Camp Coffee and whip up until the consistency is smooth and creamy.
8. To assemble, sandwich the layers with frosting and smooth around the sides, place into the fridge to set for about 30 minutes.
9. To create a heart shape, use the bread knife to mark a cross on top of the cake, dividing it into equal-sized quarters (but don’t cut it). Using the marks as a guide, trim one half of the cake to a point by neatly slicing off the rounded edges. Take care to keep each of the two off-cuts in one (roughly semi-circular) piece.
Take the two ‘humps’ you’ve cut off and stick to the rounded end of the cake with frosting, to form the top of the heart. Smooth all around with more of the frosting, to cover any gaps and seal in the crumbs. Cut a little ‘V’ into the heart at the top to accentuate the shape, smooth over with more frosting, and chill in the fridge for another 30 mins or so. Decorate with the remaining frosting by spreading the rest over the top and sides, use a palette knife or butterknife to make little swirls and flicks in the frosting. Decorate with edible flowers.
10. The cake will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, bring to room temperature before eating.
