Magical pink ombre layer cake

Last week I made my first 6 layer cake :) ... i'd wanted to try one out for AGES but to be fair, couldn't be bothered! Seemed like a LOT of effort. But finding myself with a morning of nothing to do I figured i'd give it a shot & was surprised at how simple it was!

To make one you will need...

For the cake:

Have all ingredients at room temperature

9 medium eggs - lightly beaten

18oz self raising flour - sifted

18oz caster sugar

18oz butter

2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the filling:

Raspberry Jam

250g butter

400g icing sugar

tsp of vanilla extract

To cover:

500g butter

800g icing sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Gel colouring

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 / 350F / 180C

Grease & line 6 8inch cake tins (I only had 2 so did 2 at a time!)

Beat the butter & sugar together with an electric mixer on a medium speed 

until light & fluffy, about 5-10mins

Turn down the speed & add the eggs a little bit at a time, 

scraping the side of the bowl after each addition

Add the vanilla extract

Once it's all well combined turn off the mixer & 

fold the sifted flour in a bit at a time with a metal spoon

Now separate the mixture into 6 bowls & colour each layer a different hue/colour, 

best to use gel colours instead of liquid food colouring as it makes them more vibrant

Transfer the mixtures into the prepared cake tins & cook for 17-18 mins 

until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean

Leave to cool 

Trim the tops off the layers so they're nice & flat & even

Beat the butter with an electric mixer until soft & slowly add the icing sugar,

add the vanilla extract & beat until light & fluffy (about 5 mins) 

Layer your sponges with jam & butter cream within each layer

Lightly coat the whole cake with a layer of buttercream to lock in the crumbs & pop into the fridge whilst you prepare your coloured buttercream

As before mix your butter until soft & slowly incorporate the icing sugar & 

vanilla extract beat until light & fluffy

Split the buttercream into 3 bowls & mix in the different amounts

of colour so you end up with 3 hues of the same colour

Using a piping bag with an open star tip start piping swirls of your darkest colour working from the inside out, along the bottom of the cake, filling in any gaps with a little line of buttercream as you go along

Once you've finished the first layer change to a lighter shade of your colour & repeat the swirls, finally finish the top in your lightest shade until the whole cake is covered :) 

TA DAAA! Magical ombre cake! ... my swirls could do with a bit of practice but the colours just look so pretty no-one really cares if they're a bit dodgy! Practice shall i'm sure eventually make perfect :)

It's pretty massive by the time you've finished all the layering & buttercream so make sure you have a lovely bunch of people to help you eat it!