Prue Leith’s Angel Cake Slices

Prue Leith’s Angel Cake Slices

Prue Leith's Angel Cake Slices bring a nostalgic twist to the classic English angel cake with vibrant layers and a decorative fondant finish. This cake is a delightful challenge, perfect for special occasions.

• Serves: 6
• Difficulty: Challenging
• Hands-On Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Baking Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

• For the Génoise:

• 60g unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 120g caster sugar
• 120g plain flour, sifted
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp natural raspberry flavouring
• Pink food-colouring gel
• Finely grated zest of 1 small unwaxed lemon
• Yellow food-colouring gel
• For the Italian Meringue Buttercream:
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 large egg white
• 85g unsalted butter, softened

• For the Fondant Icing:

• 250g fondant icing sugar
• Pink food-colouring gel

Equipment:

• 2-in-1 parchment and foil, cut to a rectangle of 50 x 20cm
• 33 x 25cm traybake tin
• Sugar thermometer
• Small piping bag fitted with a medium writing nozzle
• Cocktail stick

Method:

1. Prepare the Génoise:

Prepare Cake Tin: Fold the parchment to divide the tin into three even sections (each 20 x 10cm). Grease with melted butter.

Preheat Oven: Heat to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/Gas 5.

Warm Eggs and Sugar: Place the eggs and sugar in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Whisk gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 43°C/109°F on the thermometer.

Whisk Mixture: Transfer to a stand mixer and whisk until thick and mousse-like, leaving a ribbon trail when lifted.

Prepare Flavourings: Divide the flour into three bowls. Stir vanilla into one bowl of melted butter. Add raspberry flavouring and pink food colouring to another. Stir lemon zest and yellow food colouring into the third bowl of butter.

Fold in Ingredients: Divide the whisked egg mixture into three bowls. Sift flour over each bowl and fold in. Add corresponding butter mixture to each bowl and fold gently.

Bake: Pour each mixture into its respective section of the cake tin. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed. Cool in the tin for a bit, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

2. Make the Italian Meringue Buttercream:

Make Sugar Syrup: Melt the sugar in 3 tablespoons of water over low heat. Once dissolved, increase heat and boil until the syrup reaches 121°C/250°F.

Whisk Egg Whites: While syrup is boiling, whisk the egg white to soft peaks in a stand mixer.

Combine Syrup and Egg Whites: Once syrup is ready, slowly pour it into the egg whites while whisking at high speed. Continue until thick and glossy and cooled to room temperature.

Add Butter: Gradually add softened butter to the meringue, whisking until smooth. Chill until firm.

3. Assemble the Cake:

Trim Sponges: Trim the sponges so they are the same size and height. Spread half the buttercream over the vanilla sponge, top with raspberry sponge, and spread the remaining buttercream over the raspberry sponge. Top with the lemon sponge.

Prepare Fondant Icing: Sift icing sugar into a bowl. Add 1½–2 tablespoons of water to achieve a stiff, dropping consistency. Colour a quarter of the icing pink.

Apply Fondant: Spread the white fondant icing over the top of the lemon sponge. Pipe pink icing lines across the width, spaced 1cm apart. Use a cocktail stick to feather the icing lines.

Serve: Cut the cake into six even slices and serve.

Enjoy this elegant and colorful angel cake, a delicious twist on a classic!