VANILLA BUTTER CAKE with CREME PATISSIERIE & VANILLA STRAWBERRY COMPOTE FILLING

So, I am back :) &I have no idea where to start with, so let me just say, we are happily married and is leading a beautiful life. I have moved to USA and we are currently living in Virginia. It was very cold when we landed here, but now, it looks like spring is settling in. So,while I was going through a phase of multiple changes in my life...I had my lovely blogging friends who took up my space and made it their own :) Thank you Maria,Avanika,Jamie,Deeba,Aparna &Divya SO much! Our wedding was made a celebration in the blogosphere.A big thank you to all my wonderful wonderful blogging friends!

Now lets get back to the cake. I made this a month or so ago for a prayer meeting in our church. It was the last one before I left the country, so I wanted to bake something special. The vanilla butter cake is a firm favourite in my house now.We were throughly hooked onto it after the Tiramisu Cake episode :) So keeping that as the base, I sandwiched them with my favourite pastry cream and a vanilla strawberry compote . It was an instant hit at the church. Will you believe me if I said it go over in less that 5 mins? :) It actually did! :)

VANILLA BUTTER CAKE with CREME PATISSIERE & VANILLA STRAWBERRY COMPOTE FILLING.

Vanilla Butter Cake:

Recipe source: Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients:

2 cups cake flour( I substituted using this proportion: 1 cup cake flour = 3/4 cup flour + 2 tbsp cornflour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature (I used salted butter)
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

Method:

• Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. 
• Add the eggs one by one, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. 
• Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

• Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them, and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right-side up.

Creme Patissiere /Pastry Cream:

Recipe source: Joy Of Baking

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 vanilla bean, spilt lengthwise

3 large egg yolks

1/4 c granulated sugar

1/8 c all purpose flour

3 tbsp cornflour

3/4 tbsp rum

Method:

• In a medium-sized stainless steel bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks together with a wooden spoon. (Never let the mixture sit too long or you will get pieces of egg forming.)  Sift the flour and cornstarch together and then add to the egg mixture, mixing until you get a smooth paste.  Set aside.
• Meanwhile in a saucepan combine the milk and split vanilla bean on medium heat until boiling.  (The milk will foam up to the top of pan when done, so watch carefully.)  Remove from heat and add slowly to egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.  (If you get a few pieces of egg (curdling) in the mixture, pour through a strainer.)  Remove vanilla bean, scrape out seeds, and add the seeds to the egg mixture. (The vanilla bean can be dried and placed in your sugar bowl to give the sugar a vanilla flavor.  This sugar can then be used in baking where you would like a vanilla-flavored sugar, e.g. pies, cakes, cookies.)

• Place the egg mixture back into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly.  When it boils, whisk mixture constantly for another 30 - 60 seconds until it becomes very thick and it is hard to stir.
• Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the liqueur (if using).  Pour into a clean bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming.  Cool.  If not using right away refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days.  Beat before using to get rid of any lumps that may have formed.

Vanilla Strawberry Compote

Recipe: My own

200 g Strawberries

3-4 tbsp Vanilla sugar, or to taste

1/2 Vanilla bean , split lengthwise 

Method:

• Wash and halve the strawberries.Mix it with sugar and leave to macerate in a saucepan for 20 mins.
• Scrape out the seeds from the vanilla bean and add it to strawberries.
• Cook on meduim flame till stawberries start oozing out water .Mash it with a fork.
• Cook till thick and spreadable. 

Soaking Syrup for cakes:

Icing sugar- 200g

Water-400 ml

Method:

• Mix icing sugar and water completely and soak the cake layers using it.

For the icing:

200 ml whipped cream (I used non-dairy whipped cream)

Assembly:

•  Cut the cake into 3 layers, hoziontally.
• Place the first layer on the cake stand and soak it by sprinkling the syrup uniformly.Spread the pastry cream on it.
• Place the second layer on top of the first layer and soak it. Spread the vanilla strawberry compote on it.
• Place the third layer and soak it. 
• Cover the top and sides of the cake with whipped cream,and decorate with strawberry slices, chocolate curls, silver dragees etc.
• Chill for atleast 2 hours. It is best served when chilled.