Recipe: How to make this elegant rustic wedding cake

Wedding season is upon us and we can practically hear brides around the country scrambling to get their plans in order, so that they’re ready to go.

If you’re planning a wedding and trying to cut down on a few costs, then we highly recommend that either you or a trusted member of your wedding party bake the wedding cake.

Intimidating? Yes! A disaster waiting to happen? Far from it! This simple, foolproof recipe is all you need to achieve an effortlessly elegant, rustic, naked wedding cake.

With the simple addition of a few decorative flowers, fresh berries and a thin crumb coat of icing, you go from your standard victoria sponge to wedding day chic in a matter of minutes! Why not give it a go and save your pennies for the honeymoon?

Serves: 30+

Prep Time: 120 mins

Cook Time: 100 mins

Ingredients:

Top Tier (2 x 6 inch cake tins):

125g butter

125g caster sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

125g self-raising flour, sifted

1 tbsp milk

Middle Tier (2 x 8 inch cake tins):

225g butter

125g caster sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

225g self-raising flour, sifted

2 tbsp milk

Bottom Tier (2 x 10 inch cake tins)

500g butter

500g caster sugar

8 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

500g self-raising flour, sifted

4 tbsp milk

Filling:

2 x 454g jars of strawberry jam

600ml double cream, whipped

250g raspberries

250g blueberries

250g strawberries

Roses, optional

Icing sugar, for dusting

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.

Grease and line all 6 springform cake tins.

Each double layer cake must be made and baked separately following these steps:

Beat together butter and sugar.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition.

Add the vanilla extract and beat.

Add the self-raising flour and mix well.

Add the milk and combine.

Spoon the batter into the cake tins and bake until golden and cooked through (timings below).

Remove from the oven and leave to cool on wire racks.

The 15cm (6 inch) cake tin should take around 20 minutes, the 20cm (8 inch) cake tin should take around 35 minutes and the 25cm (10 inch) cake tin should take around 45 minutes.

Once the cakes have cooled, begin assembling the tiers, starting with the 25cm (10 inch) cake on the bottom. Spread a generous layer of jam and whipped cream sandwiched between each layer.

Spread the very top layer with a little whipped cream to help the fruit to stick.

Once the layers are in place begin decorating with the berries, adding the rose heads at this point, if using.

Lastly, sprinkle with icing sugar.