Eggless Vanilla Sponge Cake - Vanilla Sponge cake with Choco Butter cream Frosting

 This was in my 'to do' list for a long time and i bookmarked it long before and finally tried this basic vanilla cake for our wedding day.  As a beginner in baking i was too skeptical to try out frosting, but went ahead to try out this simple chocolate butter cream frosting which i referred  from divine taste.
It was so airy, spongy and soft that my hubby and mithu were so relished and went on enjoying each bite.  I went on with a strawberry filling in between the cake and together with butter cream, they tasted heavenly.  I can say this as all in one with vanilla , chocolate and strawberry flavor together.

I tried to write few wordings on the cake using whipped cream which turned out to be a great disaster. While whipping the cream it turned out to butter and finally i used the same butter for wordings.  All these mess led to skip one 'n' in my 'Anniversary'..he..he.

Vanilla sponge cake can be kept as basic recipe and many variations can be adapted. You can decorate it and make it appear as a birthday cake too. It can also be used as a base to make many dessert.
Eggless Vanilla Sponge Cake with Butter cream Frosting - Ingredients:
Baking time: 35-40 mins | Recipe Cuisine: International | Recipe Category: Cake | Reference: Divya's blog

Maida  - 1 1/2 cup (minus 3 tbsp)
Corn flour - 3 tbsp
Sugar  - 3/4 cup
Baking powder  - 1 tsp
Baking soda  -  1/2 tsp
Oil   -  1/2 cup
Curd   -  1 cup
Vanilla essence  - 1 tsp

For Butter cream Frosting:
Butter - 1/4 cup
Confectioneries sugar or Icing sugar  - 3/4 cup
Coco powder  -  3 tbsp
Vanilla essence  - 1/2 tsp
Milk  - 2 tbsp

For Soaking syrup:
Water - 1/2 cup
Sugar  - 2 tbsp

For Filling:
Strawberry jam  - 5-6 tbsp.

Method:
1. Preheat oven at 180 deg C for 10 mins.
2. Meanwhile sieve the maida and corn flour twice to ensure even mixing.

3. Mix curd and sugar in a bowl and beat well to a creamy mixture. Add baking powder and soda to the creamed mixture and let it rest for 2-3 mins.

4. After 3 mins mixture will be slightly frothy. Now add oil and essence to it.

5. Add the flour little by little and mix well.

6. Grease a pan and pour the batter into it and tap once to deflate any air bubbles.

7. Bake it for 35-40 mins in the preheated oven at 180 deg C until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean

. Cool it for 5 mins and invert carefully.

Once the cake is completely cooled start making sugar syrup and chocolate butter cream frosting.

For sugar syrup:
In a small sauce pan heat the sugar with water over medium flame until sugar dissolves and begins to boil. Switch off and allow it to cool.
For the Butter cream Frosting:
Mix the butter, sugar , coco powder together with the essence and whisk until smooth. Add milk little by little and whisk until well blended.
Filling:
If the jam is hard , microwave the jam for 2 mins and keep aside.

To Assemble:
1. Using a broad knife cut the cake into two layers.

2. Place one layer of cake on a serving plate. Pour some sugar syrup all over it. Spread the jam all over the cake leaving little space at the boarders.

3. Apply little butter cream over the jam filling. Carefully place the other half of the cake and moisten it with sugar syrup.

4. Press it firmly and level the sides.

5. Start spreading the rest of the butter cream over the top and sides of the cake.

I used my cutlery knife to spread the frosting. If using palette knife you may get it neat. Chill it in the fridge for at least 1 hr and then serve.
Decorate it with some piped icing or whipped cream.