"Naked" Wedding Cake - Gemma's Bigger Bolder Baking Ep. 15 - Gemma Stafford Recipe

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It's wedding season so I decided to get naked for this week's episode...Naked Cake, that is! A naked cake is a rustic style cake that is lovely for weddings. I made it with buttercream & jam and decorated it with seasonal berries and flowers. I even included hair, makeup and table setting tips from other Kin Community creators to help you do it yourself.

Videos that Inspired Me
Make Up: Wayne Goss, gossmakeupartist--Wedding MakeUp Tutorial (http://bit.ly/1sVUHxh)
Hair: Kate Albrecht, Mr. Kate--DIY Hair: Gibson Roll (http://bit.ly/1nfNtXv)
Table Setting: Kin Community--How to Make Event Place Cards (http://bit.ly/1jtYkcE)
Special Thanks to Mike Darrow!

PINTEREST http://www.pinterest.com/gemstafford
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FULL RECIPE BELOW: Gemma's Rustic "Naked" Wedding Cake

INGREDIENTS FOR A 3 TIERED VICTORIA SPONGE WEDDING CAKE:
4 cup (2 lbs) butter, at room temperature
4 cup (2 lbs) sugar
16 large free-range eggs
8 tsp vanilla extract
4 cup (2 lbs) all-purpose flour, sifted (you may need a bit extra)
6 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

TO MAKE THE VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING: http://bit.ly/OGEW0x (watch video for method)
3 cups Butter, at room temperature
6 cups Icing sugar, sifted
6 tbsp Milk
4 tsp Vanilla extract
Raspberry/Strawberry jam

TO DECORATE THE CAKE:
Fresh seasonal berries like strawberries, raspberries and blueberries
powdered sugar, for dusting
Greenery, like little leaves and babies breath

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. For the wedding cake I made, use 10 in., 8 in. & 6 in. cake tins.
3. Line the bottom of the cake tins with a circle of greaseproof paper & grease with butter
4. On a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Beat well to ensure you get lots of air into the mixture.
5. In a jug whisk the eggs & vanilla together.
6. With the mixer on high speed, beat in the eggs one at a time. You want to avoid the mixture curdling, so that it stays airy. If it does curdle, add a tbsp of flour.
7. Sift together the flour, baking powder & salt. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients using a large metal spoon or mix on low speed. Take wet mix off the stand mixer & fold in by hand if there is too much flour for the bowl. Be careful not to over-mix. Pour the mixture into the cake tins & fill 2/3 the way up the tin. Level with the spatula.
8. Place in the oven & bake for about 35-40 minutes (the bigger cakes take longer), or until the cakes are well-risen, spring back when pressed gently with a finger and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin and peel off the paper. Place onto a wire rack and let cool completely, about 2 hours. I suggest you make the cakes the day before to make it easier to frost.
10. While they are cooling, make the Buttercream frosting. On Medium speed beat the butter for about 8-10 minutes on its own. This makes a huge difference in the end so be patient and you will be rewarded with amazing frosting.
11. When pale in color, add powdered sugar spoonful by spoonful on Low speed. This helps make a fluffy frosting too.
12. Turn off the mix and run a spatula under and around the frosting to make sure all ingredients are incorporated. Add milk, vanilla and salt and beat on medium speed for another 5 minutes. The frosting will almost double in size and will be so fluffy and pale in color. It helps to chill your frosting before use so it's not too soft.
13. Cut 2 layers into each cake. When cutting get down to the level of the cake. Use a long carving knife and slowly cut through . This helps to get an even layer straight across.
14. Frost each cake separately with the buttercream and jam.
15. How to get that Naked look: With the buttercream that comes out over the edges of the cake, use a palette knife and smooth it around the cake. This is what gives your rustic look.
16. Dust each cake separately with powdered sugar. Try to get it on the sides also, it looks good.
17. Lift your largest cake carefully onto your serving dish or cake stand. Followed by the second and then the top tier. You can separate the layer with a cake board if you wish for extra support. I didn't.
18. This is the best part- Decorate around the cake with the berries and then with the greenery and babies breath. Start off with a little at first, stand back and look and add more if needed.
19. This cake will live happily at room temperature. This recipe is multiplied for a 3 tiered cake. Divide the ingredients by 4 for one 8 inch cake. The cake is best if you make the cake the day before and then frost the next day and serve. Because it is 'Naked' and not frosted on the outside it may get a little dry around the sides if left out too long, a good reason to eat it up fast!