Vanilla Naked Cake With White Chocolate Ganache

Vanilla Bean Cake Layers (Makes 2 8" or 3 6" layers)

2 sticks butter, room temperature
2 1/3 cups AP flour (322 g)
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (400 g)
1 teaspoon baking powder (7 g)
1 teaspoon baking soda (4 g)
1/2 teaspoon salt (2 g)
4 eggs, room temperature
1 cup whole fat buttermilk, room temperature (233 g)
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (5 g)

Preheat oven to 350F and spray and line cake pans. Set aside.

Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl.

Cream room temperature butter and sugar on medium high, 4-6 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla until combined. Scrape down bowl. Alternate dry ingredients and room temperature buttermilk on low until fully incorporated.

Divide cake batter between pans and level with offset spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and cake springs back when pressed. Rest 20 minutes in pan and then remove and set upside down on wax or parchment paper until cool.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

6 egg whites (240 g)
1 2/3 cups sugar
5 sticks, unsalted butter, cold and cubed in 1/2 inches
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Create a double boiler set up with a medium saucepan and the bowl of a stand mixer. Bring water to simmer, but do not boil. Nestle the mixing bowl on top of simmering water and add egg whites and sugar. Whisk the meringue until it reaches 160F and place on the stand mixer.

Using the whisk attachment, whisk meringue until very glossy and thick, approximately 10 minutes. Remove whisk attachment and change to paddle. Ensure the bowl is room temperature before adding butter, as it will melt into the meringue.

Slowly incorporate butter on medium speed until all butter has been incorporated. Add salt and vanilla. Increase speed to medium high and whip buttercream until smooth and glossy, 4-6 minutes.

Buttercream can be used immediately to ice a cake or stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for one week. To re-whip Swiss meringue buttercream, bring to room temperature and paddle on medium high for 4-6 minutes.

To Assemble a Naked Cake:

Place a cake layer on a cake board on a cake turntable and add 1 1/2 cups of buttercream (adjust for your preference or cake size). Smooth buttercream with an offset spatula, leaving an overhang of icing, which will be used to smooth between layers. Add another cake layer and repeat icing. Once all layers have been added, smooth buttercream between the layers, using additional buttercream as needed. Ensure all cake has been covered by buttercream. Fully ice the cake if you like!

Place cake in fridge for 30 minutes before adding drizzle.

Sunshine Ganache Drizzle

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup white chocolate
gel based food coloring

Warm heavy cream until just under boiling and pour over white chocolate. Leave for 4-5 minutes to allow chocolate to melt. Whisk until smooth.

To color ganache, create your preferred color in a small bowl or cup. Using a skewer, slowly add color until your desired shade is reached. Add slowly - it doesn't take much.

Place ganache in a bottle, pastry bag or plastic bag. Start drizzling ganache on the edges of the cake first, and then fill in the remainder of the cake using concentric circles.

Serve a slice of sunshine to your friends!