Professor Butter Beard’s Brown Butter Victoria Sandwich
One 8” 2-Layer Cake
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, browned and cooled to room temperature
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3 Tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla paste
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp fine sea salt
½ cup of your favorite jam
1-2-3 Buttercream:
1 cup heavy cream
2 sticks (16 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
(I also add a pinch of salt and a tsp of vanilla paste)
1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and butter two 8” cakes pans. Line them with parchment paper circles, butter the circles and then lightly flour the pan. Shake out all excess flour.
2) Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3) In a standing mixer, cream together the browned butter, room temperature butter and oil with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla paste and then the eggs, one egg at a time until evenly incorporated. Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the dry mixture.
4) Divide evenly between the pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, until risen and just golden brown. Make sure not to overbake – this can happen in a minute, and the cakes will be too dry. Let the cakes cool in the pan for 5-8 minutes then tip out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5) Make the buttercream: Using a standing mixer and whisk attachment, cream together the room temperature butter and confectioner’s sugar. (I add the sugar one Tbsp at a time to make sure there are no lumps.) Slowly add the heavy cream and continue to whisk/mix until the mixture comes together into a thick glossy buttercream. Fold in the salt and vanilla.
6) Place one cooled cake layer onto your presentation plate. Pipe a circle of buttercream at the edge of cake, creating a boundary for your chosen jam. Spread the jam onto the cake and then pipe a full layer of buttercream over the jam. Place the second later cake, flat side up, over the buttercream and lightly press down.
7) If desired, dust the top of the cake with additional confectioner’s sugar.
