Strawberrly Elderflower Cake

Strawberry Jam

• 77 gfresh strawberries
• 1 1/2 tbspgranulated sugar
• 2 tspwater
• 1/8 tspagar powder
• 2 gcorn starch(mix with 1 TBSP water till corn starch is disolved)

Dry Ingredients

• 1/8 tspsalt
• 1/8 tspbaking soda
• 1/4 tspbaking powder
• 5 gcorn starch
• 60 gall-purpose flour

Wet Ingredients

• 3/4 tspvanilla extract
• 52 ggranulated sugar
• 28 gcanola oil
• 27 gelderflower syrup
• 1/2 tspapple cider vinegar
• 62 gsoy milk

Buttercream

• 100 gvegan butter
• 50 gvegan shortening
• 60 gpowdered sugar
• 10 gelderflower syrup
• 1/4 tspvanilla extract

Make the Cakes

1. 1
   Make the Jam: Now for the filling! Dice strawberries into medium sized pieces and set half of the fruit aside. In a small saucepan combine the strawberries, water and sugar. Turn the heat to medium and cook until the fruit starts to soften. Add agar and cornstarch + water mixture and mix. Taste and add more sugar as desired. Take fruit off heat and cool to room temperature, mix in the other half of the diced strawberries. Set it aside, the jam will thicken more as it cools. This filling can be made up to 4 days in advance, store in airtight container in the fridge.
2. 2
   Prepare: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line three 6inch cake pans with a 6in circle of parchment paper
3. 3
   Soy + Vinegar: In a medium size bowl combine soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Give it a slight stir and set aside.
4. 4
   Dry Ingredients: While the soy milk mixture sits move on to the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl sift together all of the dry ingredients the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt).
5. 5
   Wet Ingredients: At this point your soy milk should have started to curdle. To the soy milk mixture add the elderflower syrup, canola oil and vanilla.
6. 6
   Mix: Using a whisk, combine the dry and wet ingredients. Do not over mix as this will deflate the cake and lead to a chewier texture.
7. 7
   Bake the Cakes: Equally weigh out your batter into the three tins. Place tins in the oven for 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes. Take a sharp knife and run it along the side of your cake and tin. Next, flip over the cake tin onto a cooling rack and remove the tin and parchment paper. Leave to cool completely.

Buttercream

1. 1
   Whip the butter and shortening: To make the frosting, first make sure your butter and shortening are warm enough. You should be able to easily mash it with a fork. If it feels hard, microwave it briefly. Then, into a stand or hand mixer add the butter and shortening and whip until fluffy (8-10min).
2. 2
   Add in the powdered sugar: Next, sift the powdered sugar and add it to the butter. Whip for another 4-5min. Add in the vanilla and elderflower syrup and combine. Make sure you buttercream stays a good consistency, if your kitchen is warm let it chill in the fridge. However, you don't want it to completely harden up so give it a stir now and then or let it sit out if it is getting firm.

Assembly

1. 1
   First Layer: Once your cakes and filling have cooled to room temperature and your frosting is made it is time to assemble! Place a small amount of frosting on your cake board or plate and place the first cake on top. Fost a small, flat layer of frosting across the top of the cake. Pipe a circle of frosting on the edge of the cake and place it in the freezer for 4 – 6 minutes (double that time if placing in the fridge) to stabilize/harden the frosting. Take cake out of freezer and spread half of the strawberry mixture inside (do not fill above your circle of frosting).
2. 2
   Layer Two and Three: Place the next cake on top and repeat. Now place the third cake on top and crumb coat your cake. Let it sit in the fridge or freezer to stabilize. Once the frosting has hardened remove from fridge and use your piping bag to evenly cover your cake in frosting. Smooth with a cake scraper.
3. 3
   Decorate with strawberries and flowers or pipe a frosting design on top.: Finishing