Herman Canadian cake

Ingredients

What you need.

• 300g (about 2 and a half cups) plain flour
• 300g (1 and a half cups) caster sugar
• 300g (1 and a third cups) softened salted butter
• 6 large eggs at room temperature
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 tbsp milk
• Pinch of salt

Method

How to bake it.

1. Step 1. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease and line three 8 inch round tins with baking paper.
2. Step 2. Beat the butter and sugar together until very pale, light, and fluffy. Don't rush this step. A proper cream is what gives this cake its lift.
3. Step 3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. If it splits, add a spoonful of flour.
4. Step 4. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Fold into the batter in three additions.
5. Step 5. Add the vanilla and milk and fold gently until smooth.
6. Step 6. Divide between the three tins, level the tops, and bake for 28 to 32 minutes.
7. Step 7. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack before stacking.

Tips for Harare bakers

A few things we have learned.

• The traditional Herman Canadian is filled with vanilla buttercream and finished with the same buttercream on top. Keep the decoration simple to honour the original.
• For a higher rise at altitude, increase the baking powder slightly only if your tins are deep enough. Otherwise, the cake will overflow.
• This cake is built to be stacked into three tiers. Trim the tops flat for a clean finish.

Want to learn it in person?

Take a baking lesson at the studio.

Cake basics, buttercream finishing, fondant, sugar flowers. Small group lessons in the studio. Beginners welcome.

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