cuts into 8 slices

Angel cake here in the UK is not the same as a North American Angel Cake. Ours is typically a three layer sponge cake, with white, pink and yellow layers of a sponge cake sandwiched together with a bit of vanilla butter cream.  You will need 3 (8 by 4 inch) loaf tins, or you can carefully divide a 9 by 13 inch cake tin into three equal sized rectangles using aluminium foil.

200g butter, at room temperature ( 1 cup minus 3 1/2 TBS)

270g caster sugar (1 cup +2 1/2 TBS)

3 large free range eggs, beaten

270g plain flour (2 cups minus 1 1/4 TBS)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

225g sour cream (1 cup)

red and yellow food colouring

140g icing sugar sifted (1 cup + 1 1/2 TBS)

60g unsalted butter, softened (1/4 cup)

1 TBS milk

few drops vanilla extract

Icing sugar to dust (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter and line 3 (8 by 4) inch loaf tins with baking paper.  Alternately, butter and line a (9 by 13) inch cake tin, carefully creating 3 separate sections.

 

Sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl.  Set aside.  Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs a little bit at a time. If the mixture starts to curdle, beat in a TBS of the flour mixture.  Once all of the eggs have been incorporated stir in the flour mixture, alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with flour.  Divide the batter into three equal portions, placing 1/3 of the cake directly into the prepared cake tins. Tint one third of the remaining batter with red food colouring to give you a pink batter and the remaining third with yellow to give you a yellow batter.  Place each of these into the remaining tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the tops spring back when lightly touched. 

Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before proceeding.  Once cold make the butter cream by beating together the icing ingredients until smooth and creamy only adding enough milk to give you an icing of spreading consistency.. Using a sharp knife, level off the pink and yellow layers, slicing off any domed portion.  Place the yellow layer on a plate.  Top with half of the buttercream, spreading it out evenly. Top with the pink layer and spread evenly with the remaining butter cream. Place the white layer on top.  Dust lightly with icing sugar and cut into 1 inch slices to serve.