wedding cake

Ingredients

For the first tier (28 cm)

• 800 g butter, at room temperature

• 800 g granulated sugar

• 12 eggs, medium

• 2 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon(s) salt

• 900 g all-purpose flour

• orange zest, of 4 oranges

• orange juice, of 1/2 orange

For the buttercream

• 1 kilo butter

• 1.200 g icing sugar

• 3 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon(s) salt

• 100 g milk

For the second tier (20 cm)

• 500 g butter, at room temperature

• 500 g granulated sugar

• 8 eggs, medium

• 1 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

• 300 g all-purpose flour

• orange zest, of 2 oranges

• 2 tablespoon(s) orange juice

For the buttercream

• 800 g butter, at room temperature

• 1 kilo icing sugar

• 2 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt

• 70 g milk

For the third tier (16 cm)

• 150 g butter, at room temperature

• 150 g granulated sugar

• 2 eggs, medium

• 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

• 1 pinch salt

• 180 g all-purpose flour

• orange zest, of 1 orange

• 1 tablespoon(s) orange juice

For the buttercream

• 600 g butter, at room temperature

• 800 g granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract

• 1 pinch salt

• 50 g milk

For the fourth tier (10 cm)

• 150 g butter, at room temperature

• 150 g granulated sugar

• 2 eggs, medium

• 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

• 1 pinch salt

• 180 g all-purpose flour

• orange zest, of 1 orange

• 1 tablespoon(s) orange juice

For the buttercream

• 100 g butter, at room temperature

• 200 g icing sugar

• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

• 1 pinch salt

• 1 tablespoon(s) milk

To assemble and decorate

• 3 1/2 kilos white sugar paste

• 30 g margarine

• edible flowers, sugar paste

• sprinkles, white

Method

For the first tier

• Preheat the oven to 160οC (320οF) set to fan.

• Butter and flour two 28 cm springform pans and line them with buttered parchment paper. Set aside.

• For a better result, divide the recipe in half, and prepare the cake layers in 2 batches so that the mixture is well beaten in the mixer.

• In a mixer’s bowl, beat the butter and the sugar with the paddle attachment at medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes, until they are fluffy.

• Lower the speed and add the vanilla extract along with the eggs one by one, waiting each time for the mixture to be incorporated before adding the next.

• Add the salt, flour, zest, and juice.

• Beat for 1 more minute until the ingredients are homogenized.

• Remove the bowl from the mixer.

• Divide the mixture into the 2 pans and bake for 60-70 minutes.

• You can check that the cake is done by sticking a toothpick inside; if it comes out clean, then it is ready.

• Remove the springform pans from the oven and set them onto a rack to cool completely.

For the second tier

• Butter and flour two 20 cm springform pans and line them with buttered parchment paper.

• Follow the exact same process and divide the mixture into the pans.

• Bake for 50-60 minutes.

• Remove the springform pans from the oven and set them onto a rack to cool completely.

For the third tier

• Butter and flour two 16 cm springform pans and line them with buttered parchment paper.

• Follow the exact same process and divide the mixture into the pans.

• Bake for 30-40 minutes.

• Remove the springform pans from the oven and set them onto a rack to cool completely.

For the fourth tier

• Butter and flour three 10 cm round cookie cutters.

• Butter a piece of parchment paper and line a 30×40 cm baking sheet.

• Place the cookie cutters onto the baking sheet, and set aside until needed.

• Follow the exact same process as you did for the other tiers, and divide the mixture into the cookie cutters.

• Bake for 20-30 minutes.

• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set it onto a rack to cool completely.

For the buttercream

• Follow the same process for the buttercream for all four tiers.

• Keep the buttercream of each tier separately, in order to decorate your cake.

• In a mixer’s bowl, beat the butter and the icing sugar with the whisk attachment at medium-high speed, for 5-7 minutes, until the butter is fluffy and the ingredients are homogenized.

• Lower the speed and add the vanilla extract, salt, and milk.

• Beat for 2 more minutes until there is a smooth and fluffy buttercream.

To assemble

• Take all cake layers out of the pans.

• Place the first, large cake layer onto your platter.

• Spread its surface and sides with half of the buttercream.

• Place the second cake layer on top, and spread the remaining buttercream in the same way by using a straight spatula.

• Transfer into the refrigerator.

• Transfer the first cake layer of the second tier onto a 20 cm round cardboard cake board.

• Spread its surface and sides with half of the buttercream.

• Place the second cake layer on top, and spread the remaining buttercream by using a straight spatula.

• Transfer into the refrigerator.

• Transfer the first cake layer of the third tier onto a 16 cm round cardboard cake board.

• In the same way, spread the buttercream over the cake layers just as you did with the previous tiers.

• Transfer into the refrigerator.

• Lastly, for the fourth tier, divide the buttercream into 3 batches.

• Place the first cake layer onto a 10 cm round cardboard cake board.

• In the same way, add the second cake layer, spread the buttercream, and follow the same process until you get to the third and last cake layer.

• Spread the buttercream well, and transfer into the refrigerator.

• By wearing gloves, start kneading the white sugar paste with your hands, so that it softens.

• Your goal is to have a sugar paste with an elastic texture, so you can work with it better.

• Spread a big piece of parchment paper onto your working surface, place the sugar paste, and roll it out with the special rolling pin.

• Dustwith a little icing sugar so that the sugar paste does not stick onto the parchment paper.

• While rolling it out, you have to make sure it maintains its round shape.

• You want the sugar paste to be 4 mm thick and its diameter 4-5 cm larger than the cake’s diameter.

• Very carefully, cover the first tier with the sugar paste.

• As you are spreading it, be careful not to leave any gaps between the sugar paste and the cake so that there won’t be any bubbles.

• With your hands, work the sugar paste’s surface quickly, until it sticks onto the cake, and work it all around the cake until you reach its bottom.

• Cut the excess sugar paste.

• In the same way, cover the remaining tiers.

• Decorate the first tier with any kind of flowers that you like.

• Spread them with margarine and stick them onto the cake.

• Roll out the remaining sugar paste, and with a small, 2 cm round cookie cutter cut some circles.

• Spread the circles lightly with margarine and stick them onto the cake.

• Decorate the third tier again with any kind of flowers that you like.

• The fourth and last tier, decorate it with white sprinkles, after spreading them with margarine.