Description

This elegant Book Cake features a moist, chocolate-hinted sponge layered with a firm, pipeable buttercream designed to resemble the open pages of a classic novel. Perfect for graduations or literary celebrations, this Southern-inspired dessert is as impressive to look at as it is delicious to eat.

Ingredients

250g Unsalted Butter, softened
250g Granulated Sugar
4 Large Eggs, room temperature
225g Self-raising Flour
25g Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 pinch Salt
2 tbsp Whole Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
500g Icing Sugar
250g Unsalted Butter (for frosting)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract (for frosting)

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F) and thoroughly grease a 6×10 inch rectangular cake tin.
Cream the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl for approximately five minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated; add a spoonful of flour if the mixture begins to curdle.
Sift the self-raising flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together three times to ensure a light, lump-free texture.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, alternating with splashes of milk, starting and ending with the flour.
Stir in the vanilla extract, then pour the batter into the prepared tin and level the top with a spatula.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool completely in the tin before transferring to a wire rack, then trim the edges and frost with stiff buttercream, using a fork to create page textures along the sides.

Notes

To achieve the most realistic look, ensure your buttercream is quite stiff by adding extra icing sugar if necessary, and always wipe your fork clean between strokes when texturing the pages. Chilling the cake for an hour before carving the book shape will significantly reduce crumbs and result in much cleaner edges.

Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 50 mins
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Southern American