October is a big birthday month for my friends and family, so I’m back again this week with another cake (and another vanilla one to boot!). I’m calling this one vanilla obsession cake because, quite frankly, it is FULL of vanilla.
While the cake and frosting may seem familiar from our sculpted cake post the other week, this time around we’re filling our cake with mousseline cream. Also known as German buttercream, mousseline is a combination of pastry cream and butter. I’ve always made it with pastry cream and buttercream, and today we’ll use the vanilla frosting.
Bring the butter, whole milk, sour cream and whole egg to room temp. before getting started.
Combine and sift the cake flour and baking powder and reserve to use later.
Combine the whole milk, sour cream, whole eggs, and vanilla and reserve to use later.
Combine the butter and sugar and cream in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, about 3min. on medium speed.
Add the dry and wet ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, mixing well between each addition.
Cast the cake batter into a pan about 2/3 full (I used all of the batter – 1300g – for a 9×2”/22.8x5cm).
Bake the cakes at 330F/165C for 30-40min. (or until a knife comes out just about clean), rotating them halfway through baking.
Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
Split and scrape the vanilla bean and add it to the whole milk in a sauce pot.
Bring the whole milk and vanilla to a simmer.
While the milk is heating, combine the egg yolks, starch, and sugar, and quickly whisk them together until well combined.
Temper the egg yolks into the steaming milk while whisking rapidly.
Cook the custard over medium heat until it thickens.
Remove the custard from the heat, and continue to whisk while adding the butter.
Spread the pastry cream out over a sheet pan lined with plastic wrap, and add a second layer of plastic wrap to touch.
Cool the pastry cream in the refrigerator until well set.
Combine the pastry cream with 125g of the vanilla frosting. If the pastry cream is chilled, the mixture may “break” since the cold pastry cream will harden the butter in the frosting creating small lumps. To fix this, place the mixing bowl in a larger bowl full of hot water, gently stirring the mousseline until it smooths out.
By gently heating the mixture over a hot water bath, the butter warms and softens, smoothing the mousseline.
Trim the top and bottom off of the vanilla sponge cake, and then cut the cake into two even layers.
Pipe a bead of vanilla frosting around the outer border of the first layer of vanilla sponge cake.
Spread the mousseline evenly over the bottom cake layer.
Place the second layer of cake onto the filling, pressing gently and evenly to adhere it. Cover the exposed cake in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for 30min. to 1hr.
Give the cake a thing crumb coat of vanilla frosting.
Using a star tip, pipe flat rosettes around the side of the cake, then work up onto the top of the cake, continuing around the cake until it’s covered in rosettes.
I chose to decorate the cake with a few quartered raspberries for a pop of color, but I think it’s just as pretty on it’s own.
Cast the cake batter into a pan about 2/3 full (I used all of the batter - 1300g - for a 9x2”/22.8x5cm).
Combine the pastry cream with 125g of the vanilla frosting.
If the pastry cream is chilled, the mixture may "break" since the cold pastry cream will harden the butter in the frosting, creating small lumps. To fix this, place the mixing bowl in a larger bowl full of hot water, gently stirring the mousseline until it smooths out.
Using a star tip, pipe flat rosettes around the side of the cake, then work up onto the top of the cake, continuing around the cake until it's covered in rosettes.
For the cake, I assume the vanilla gets combined with the other wet ingredients?
Yes, you are correct! Thanks for pointing out that error in the recipe, fixing it now!