Ingredients
For the first tier (28 cm)
• 800 g butter, at room temperature
• 800 g granulated sugar
• 12 eggs, medium
• 2 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 900 g all-purpose flour
• orange zest, of 4 oranges
• orange juice, of 1/2 orange
For the buttercream
• 1 kilo butter
• 1.200 g icing sugar
• 3 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 100 g milk
For the second tier (20 cm)
• 500 g butter, at room temperature
• 500 g granulated sugar
• 8 eggs, medium
• 1 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 300 g all-purpose flour
• orange zest, of 2 oranges
• 2 tablespoon(s) orange juice
For the buttercream
• 800 g butter, at room temperature
• 1 kilo icing sugar
• 2 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 70 g milk
For the third tier (16 cm)
• 150 g butter, at room temperature
• 150 g granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, medium
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 180 g all-purpose flour
• orange zest, of 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon(s) orange juice
For the buttercream
• 600 g butter, at room temperature
• 800 g granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 50 g milk
For the fourth tier (10 cm)
• 150 g butter, at room temperature
• 150 g granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, medium
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 180 g all-purpose flour
• orange zest, of 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon(s) orange juice
For the buttercream
• 100 g butter, at room temperature
• 200 g icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon(s) milk
To assemble and decorate
• 3 1/2 kilos white sugar paste
• 30 g margarine
• edible flowers, sugar paste
• sprinkles, white
Method
For the first tier
• Preheat the oven to 160οC (320οF) set to fan.
• Butter and flour two 28 cm springform pans and line them with buttered parchment paper. Set aside.
• For a better result, divide the recipe in half, and prepare the cake layers in 2 batches so that the mixture is well beaten in the mixer.
• In a mixer’s bowl, beat the butter and the sugar with the paddle attachment at medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes, until they are fluffy.
• Lower the speed and add the vanilla extract along with the eggs one by one, waiting each time for the mixture to be incorporated before adding the next.
• Add the salt, flour, zest, and juice.
• Beat for 1 more minute until the ingredients are homogenized.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer.
• Divide the mixture into the 2 pans and bake for 60-70 minutes.
• You can check that the cake is done by sticking a toothpick inside; if it comes out clean, then it is ready.
• Remove the springform pans from the oven and set them onto a rack to cool completely.
For the second tier
• Butter and flour two 20 cm springform pans and line them with buttered parchment paper.
• Follow the exact same process and divide the mixture into the pans.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes.
• Remove the springform pans from the oven and set them onto a rack to cool completely.
For the third tier
• Butter and flour two 16 cm springform pans and line them with buttered parchment paper.
• Follow the exact same process and divide the mixture into the pans.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes.
• Remove the springform pans from the oven and set them onto a rack to cool completely.
For the fourth tier
• Butter and flour three 10 cm round cookie cutters.
• Butter a piece of parchment paper and line a 30×40 cm baking sheet.
• Place the cookie cutters onto the baking sheet, and set aside until needed.
• Follow the exact same process as you did for the other tiers, and divide the mixture into the cookie cutters.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set it onto a rack to cool completely.
For the buttercream
• Follow the same process for the buttercream for all four tiers.
• Keep the buttercream of each tier separately, in order to decorate your cake.
• In a mixer’s bowl, beat the butter and the icing sugar with the whisk attachment at medium-high speed, for 5-7 minutes, until the butter is fluffy and the ingredients are homogenized.
• Lower the speed and add the vanilla extract, salt, and milk.
• Beat for 2 more minutes until there is a smooth and fluffy buttercream.
To assemble
• Take all cake layers out of the pans.
• Place the first, large cake layer onto your platter.
• Spread its surface and sides with half of the buttercream.
• Place the second cake layer on top, and spread the remaining buttercream in the same way by using a straight spatula.
• Transfer into the refrigerator.
• Transfer the first cake layer of the second tier onto a 20 cm round cardboard cake board.
• Spread its surface and sides with half of the buttercream.
• Place the second cake layer on top, and spread the remaining buttercream by using a straight spatula.
• Transfer into the refrigerator.
• Transfer the first cake layer of the third tier onto a 16 cm round cardboard cake board.
• In the same way, spread the buttercream over the cake layers just as you did with the previous tiers.
• Transfer into the refrigerator.
• Lastly, for the fourth tier, divide the buttercream into 3 batches.
• Place the first cake layer onto a 10 cm round cardboard cake board.
• In the same way, add the second cake layer, spread the buttercream, and follow the same process until you get to the third and last cake layer.
• Spread the buttercream well, and transfer into the refrigerator.
• By wearing gloves, start kneading the white sugar paste with your hands, so that it softens.
• Your goal is to have a sugar paste with an elastic texture, so you can work with it better.
• Spread a big piece of parchment paper onto your working surface, place the sugar paste, and roll it out with the special rolling pin.
• Dustwith a little icing sugar so that the sugar paste does not stick onto the parchment paper.
• While rolling it out, you have to make sure it maintains its round shape.
• You want the sugar paste to be 4 mm thick and its diameter 4-5 cm larger than the cake’s diameter.
• Very carefully, cover the first tier with the sugar paste.
• As you are spreading it, be careful not to leave any gaps between the sugar paste and the cake so that there won’t be any bubbles.
• With your hands, work the sugar paste’s surface quickly, until it sticks onto the cake, and work it all around the cake until you reach its bottom.
• Cut the excess sugar paste.
• In the same way, cover the remaining tiers.
• Decorate the first tier with any kind of flowers that you like.
• Spread them with margarine and stick them onto the cake.
• Roll out the remaining sugar paste, and with a small, 2 cm round cookie cutter cut some circles.
• Spread the circles lightly with margarine and stick them onto the cake.
• Decorate the third tier again with any kind of flowers that you like.
• The fourth and last tier, decorate it with white sprinkles, after spreading them with margarine.
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