Makes 1 x two-layer cake
This light and fluffy cake recipe is so versatile. The batter is enough for 2 x 20 cm cakes, but if you feel like a more indulgent three-layer cake, like in the photograph, then double the batter and bake in 3 x 18 cm or 20 cm tins. Alternatively, bake a batch of chocolate cupcakes. You can also choose between a thicker, spreadable or glossy drizzle icing. Or use the small adjustment in the tips to bake lemon poppy cupcakes with this same recipe.
INGREDIENTS
Cake
125 ml (½ cup) Westfalia Plain Avocado Oil
180 ml (¾ cup) milk
3 eggs
180 ml (¾ cup) sugar
10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla essence
375 ml (1½ cups) cake flour
10 ml (2 tsp) baking powder
45 ml (3 tbsp) good quality cocoa powder
Chocolate icing
375 ml (1½ cups) icing sugar
50 ml good quality cocoa powder
50 ml Westfalia Plain Avocado Oil
25 ml (5 tsp) water
25 ml (5 tsp) lemon juice or vanilla essence
edible flowers, like lavender, for decorating
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180 °C. Line the base of 2 x 20 cm baking tins with baking paper and grease lightly with a bit of avocado oil. Or line a large 12 cup muffin pan with paper cups.
2. Cake: Heat avocado oil and milk over a medium temperature in a small saucepan until just warmed through.
3. Meanwhile, beat eggs and sugar very well together with an electric beater, for at least 6-8 minutes, or until light, fluffy and pale-yellow. Beat in vanilla.
4. Sift dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
5. Beat flour mixture into egg mixture and gradually add warm milk mixture. Beat until a smooth batter forms and no dry flour is visible but take care not to overmix.
6. Divide batter between baking tins or paper cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
7. Allow cakes to rest for 1-2 minutes and then turn onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
8. Icing: Sift icing sugar and cocoa in a glass bowl. Whisk in the oil, water and lemon juice or vanilla with an electric beater, until light and fluffy. Add a bit more water if the icing is too stiff to your liking.
9. Spread icing over cakes and layer on top of each other or ice the cupcakes. Decorate with edible flowers.
KITCHEN TIPS
1. Prepare a double batch of batter to bake 3 x 20 cm or 18 cm cake layers. Prepare double the amount of icing or more, depending on how thick you prefer the icing to be.
2. For a glossy chocolate drizzle, enough for 12 cupcakes: Sieve 125 ml (½ cup) icing sugar with 20 ml (4 tsp) good quality cocoa powder. Stir in 20 ml (4 tsp) Westfalia Plain Avocado Oil, 10 ml (2 tsp) water and 5 ml (1 tsp) lemon juice or vanilla essence until a smooth mixture forms. Drizzle over cupcakes and decorate as above.
3. Lemon poppy cupcakes: Substitute 60 ml (¼ cup) of the oil in the batter with Westfalia Lemon Flavoured Avocado Oil for a zesty flavour. Substitute the cocoa for corn flour and add 15 ml (1 tbsp) poppy seeds. Make a lemony drizzle icing: sieve 125 ml (½ cup) icing sugar and mix in another 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon-flavoured oil and 15 ml (1 tbsp) water. Decorate with lemon zest, thyme leaves or edible flowers.
