Hello from New York! Have you seen all the insanely delicious stuff I’ve been eating on Instagram yet?
Just a couple of days ago, it was the birthday of one of my best friends. He is probably having a great time celebrating back at home, but I am missing the party because of my holiday.
So we had a little pre-holiday birthday celebration, and all he had to say to me was “Raffaello Tash, I’m loving Raffaello at the moment” and this birthday cake was born.
There are layers of my favourite vanilla cake, layers of freshly sliced strawberries for some sweetness relief, and lashings of delicious white chocolate coconut Rafaello cream (from that Raffaello tart I made earlier this year!).
I topped the whole thing in coconut, Raffaello truffles, deep red, sweet strawberries and roasted almonds – because Raffaellos have almonds inside, and they add a lovely crunch!
The cake is soft, fluffy, and tastes just like a Raffaello. It also keeps brilliantly, as my friend learnt when he was sent home with that whole big cake. There was dessert (or on his case, breakfast) for days.
A candle on top, a present alongside, and the party was complete. The perfect birthday cake. X
- FOR THE CAKE
- 165g unsalted butter, softened (3/4 cup)
- 250 caster (superfine) sugar (1¼ cup)
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla paste (or extract)
- 240g plain flour (1⅔ cup)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ cup buttermilk
- FOR THE FROSTING
- 400ml can coconut milk (14 oz)
- 80g shredded coconut (1 cup)
- 200g white chocolate (1 cup), finely chopped
- 750g mascarpone (3 cups)
- ½ cup icing (powdered) sugar
- 1 punnet strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
- 160g shredded coconut (2 cup) extra, for topping
- Raffaello truffles, roasted almonds and strawberries, extra, for topping (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and butter and line 3 x 9" cake tins.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
- On a low speed, mix in a third of the dry ingredients until just combined, then follow with half the buttermilk. Continue alternating the wet and dry ingredients until they are just combined, finishing with dry.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared cake tins.
- Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, until the cakes are lightly golden and spring back when pressed in the centre.
- Set aside and allow to cool completely. Remove from the tins, wrap well and refrigerate.
- To make the Raffaello frosting, place the coconut milk and 1 cup shredded coconut in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Cook for 30 - 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the coconut has soaked up all the coconut milk.
- Stir in the white chocolate until it's completely melted and incorporated. Transfer into a bowl, cover the surface with cling wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
- Once the mixture is cool, whip the mascarpone and icing sugar for 10 seconds or so, till just combined. Fold into the white chocolate coconut mixture.
- Remove the cake from the fridge and place one layer on your serving plate.
- Top with a quarter of the Raffaello filling and spread out into an even layer. Top with a layer of sliced strawberries, and then the second layer of cake. Continue until you've placed the last cake layer on top.
- Spread the remaining Raffaello frosting around the sides and top of the cake. Cover with the extra coconut.
- Top with strawberries and Raffaello truffles (optional).
- Keep refrigerated. Serves 10 - 15.
- Happy baking!
Frosting adapted from Kwestia Smaku via this recipe.
Cake adapted from via Batter & Dough via this recipe.