Flamingo Pink Velvet Cake with Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
Makes 1three-layer 6-inch cake
Ingredients
Pink Velvet Cake
1cupunsalted butter, softened
1 3/4cupsgranulated sugar
1tablespoonclear imitation vanilla extract
2eggs
3egg yolks
3cupsminus 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2tablespooncornstarch
1tablespoonbaking powder
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
3/4teaspoonsalt
1/2cupand 2 tablespoon sour cream
1cupwhole milk
3tablespoonsfreeze-dried strawberry powder
Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
1cup(100g) rhubarb, trimmed and chopped
1cup(145g) strawberries, chopped
1/3cupsugar
2teaspoonvanilla extract
1tablespoonunsalted butter
Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream
4egg whites
1cupgranulated sugar
1cupunsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
1tablespoom vanilla extract
Instructions
Pink Velvet Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 6-inch round cake pans.
In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients together. Set aside.
In a measuring cup, combine milk and sour cream. Set aside.
With a stand mixer, beat butter until creamy. On medium speed, beat butter with sugar and vanilla until the mixture is fluffy and pale in colour.
Add eggs and eggs yolks, one at a time, making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next.
Add in half of the flour mixture and half of the milk mixture. Mix on low until just incorporated.
Add the remainder of the ingredients and mix until just combined.
Gently fold in freeze-dried strawberry powder. Do not mix fully to achieve pink marbling effect.
Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake for 34 - 36 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean.
Cool cakes on a wire rack for about 15 minutes before remove cakes from pans to cool completely.
Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
In a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
When the butter has melted, add the remaining ingredients to the pan. Allow to cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes.
Gently stir and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is tender and juices become thick (10 to 15 minutes).
Remove from heat and let compote cool.
Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and granulated sugar and gently whisk by hand.
Fill a sauce pan with a few inches of water and bring to a simmer. Place the mixer bowl with the egg white mixture on top to create a double-boiler. The water should be kept at a simmer but should not touch the bottom of the bowl.
While stirring the mixture, heat the egg white mixture the sugar has dissolved.
Once all the sugar gas dissolved, return the bowl to the stand mixer.
With the whisk attachment on the mixer, beat the mixture on high speed for about 7 - 8 minutes. This will form a shiny, medium-stiff meringue. At this point, the meringue should be close to room temperature.
With the paddle attachment on the mixer and the speed of the mixer set to low, begin adding in the butter a couple cubes at a time. When the previous addition of butter has been incorporated, add a few more cubes. Repeat until all the butter has been incorporated.
Once the butter has been mixed in, the vanilla extract.
Turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix until silky smooth.