Strawberry Ombre Cake

Ombré Frosting

1. Whisk butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add Star Brand Vanilla Flavour and full cream milk. Whisk for approximately 10 minutes until smooth and creamy.
3. Divide the buttercream evenly into 3 separate bowls.
4. Add 1/4 tsp Star Brand Cochineal Colour to the first bowl. Add 1 tsp Star Brand Cochineal Colour into the second bowl. Add 2 tsp Star Brand Cochineal Colour into the final bowl. Mix well for each bowl. Keep aside.

Strawberry Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
2. In a bowl, add 3 tbsp Blue Key Superfine Superwhite and melted butter. Stir to combine.
3. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans with the mixture. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy.
5. Add Star Brand Strawberry Flavour and Star Brand Vanilla Flavour. Continue to whisk until soft peaks. Set aside.
6. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine Blue Key Superfine Superwhite Flour, caster sugar, baking powder and salt.
7. Add butter and whisk on low speed until crumbly.
8. Whisk in full cream milk and egg white mixture alternately until just combined.
9. Divide the batter evenly into 3 separate bowls. Add 1⁄4 tsp Star Brand Cochineal Colour to the first bowl. Add 1 tsp Star Brand Cochineal Colour to the second bowl. Add 2 tsp Star Brand Cochineal Colour to the final bowl. Mix well for each bowl.
10. Pour each bowl of batter separately into the prepared cake pans and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
11. Transfer cakes on the wire rack to cool completely.

CAKE ASSEMBLING

1. Carefully trim the top of the cakes to have a level surface.
2. Place the first cake on a round cake board. The first layer of the cake should be the lightest colour. Spread strawberry jam evenly on top of the cake.
3. Repeat process with the darker coloured cake layer.
4. Finish with the darkest coloured cake layer. Make sure the cakes are in the right order so that they create a gradient of light to dark as the cake grows taller.
5. Transfer each bowl of ombre frosting to separate piping bags.
6. Pipe the frosting around the bottom of the cake, working your way up from lightest to darkest shades. Using an offset spatula, blend the layers of gradients together.
7. Decorate the top of the cake with roses and strawberries.