11 nov

Rainbow Cake No 2

Mrs Austin Seccombe, Wagga Branch

MAKES ONE 20 CM CAKE

500 g (2 cups) butter, softened

500 g caster sugar

6 eggs

500 g (3¹/₃ cups) plain flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

250 ml (1 cup) milk

red food colouring

yellow food colouring

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1½ tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted

2½ tablespoons boiling water, or as required

Icing

440 g (2 cups) caster sugar

125 ml (½ cup) water

2 egg whites

90 g (1 cup) desiccated coconut

Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and flour three 20 cm cake tins.

Using an electric beater, beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each.

Sift the flour, soda and tartar into a bowl. Stir into the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk.

Spoon the mixture evenly into three bowls. Colour one portion pink with the red food colouring. Add the lemon zest and enough yellow food colouring to another to tint it deep yellow. Stir the cocoa in a cup with enough of the boiling water to form a smooth, thick paste, then stir it into the remaining bowl. Spoon each of the mixtures into a tin, smoothing the tops even.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centres comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

For the icing, combine the sugar with the water in a small saucepan and slowly bring to the boil. Cook for 7–8 minutes, or until the mixture reaches 115°C (soft ball stage) on a sugar thermometer.

Using an electric beater, whisk the egg whites in a bowl until firm peaks form. Whisking constantly, add the hot syrup in a thin, steady stream then whisk for 5–6 minutes, or until the mixture is very thick and glossy. Add the coconut and stir to combine well.

Spread each cooled cake with some of the icing, then stand for 10 minutes to allow icing to firm a little. Layer the cakes on top of each other, then spread with the remaining icing.