Gingerbread Cake with Caramel, lemon buttercream and christmas trees

Step 1

Line 2 x baking tins 20 cm (8 inch). Set the oven to 170 C (340F). 3 can be used if preferred.

Step 2

Put the golden syrup, treacle, brown sugar, butter and spices into a pot and melt over a low heat. CoolSift the flour with the baking soda

Step 3

Whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla till combined and then whisk in the sugar mixture. Add the flour mix 1/2 at a time and stir with a spatula till combined and no lumps remain. This process can also be done in a mixer with a paddle or with a hand mixer.

Step 4

Pour the mixture into the two tins and divide evenly. Bake for 45 minutes. Test the inside with a skewer. It needs to come out clean. If not cooked all the way through put back into the oven for a further 10 minutes

Step 5

Turn the cake out and cool completely. Once cooled, remove from the tins and discard paper.

Step 6

The layers will need to be evened out so they are flat when layering. See tips below for baking flat cakes** The cakes can be made the day before and cooled. This helps with cutting the layers flat.

Step 7

The butter should be room temperature. Put it into the bowl of a mixer (or use a hand mixer) and beat till light. Add the brown sugar and beat well till light and fluffy.

Step 8

Add one cup of icing sugar and beat in. Add the lemon juice, vanilla, salt and the second cup of icing sugar. Beat well till light and fluffy.

Step 9

Weigh out 150 gm of buttercream icing and set it aside.

Step 10

Chop the butter into small pieces and put into the pot with the cream and brown sugar

Step 11

Bring slowly to the boil and simmer until starting to reduce. 1 to 2 minutes. Add flaked salt

Step 12

Cool. Set aside. As it cools it will firm up. (some butter may squease out.

Step 13

Once the cake has cooled or is chilled cut off the domed tops so they will sit flat. Put the first round onto a cake plate and secure with a bit of the buttercream. Put a cup or so of caramel into the centre on the cake in a circle and smooth over. (If the caramel has separated from the butter just leave the butter behind)

Step 14

Use a quarter of the buttercream to fill the rest of the cake, in a circle outwards from the caramel. (You can use a piping bag with a large nozzle to pipe on the buttercream if you want)

Step 15

Use the other 1/2 of the buttercream to cover the outside of the cake making sure you do not get any crumbs in the buttercream when you dip the knife into the bowl. (This is a crumb coat) Chill the cake for 15 to 20 minutes

Step 16

Cover the cake once again in the leftover buttercream. Sooth over the edges and the sides with a long straight spatula or a flat sided scraper. Once it nice and smooth and the corners are crisp as possible, chill.

Step 17

Add the extra cup of icing sugar to the reserved buttercream and mix in then. Add a couple of drops of green gel colour and stir till it is the colour you want.

Step 18

Use a very small star piping nossle and piping bag to achieve the christmas tree look. You should be able to find this in a supermarket

Step 19

Once the trees are completed stick them onto your cake.

Step 20

Dust the cake with icing sugar and finish the top with piped buttercream if you have some left. I have also added some cake crunmbsaround the bottom edge from left over cake crumbled up