When vanilla beats chocolate

Vanilla queen

One might think a vanilla cake is plain and boring, but I've got news for you - it can blow you away. I chanced upon this recipe from my go-to blogger as always - Ria and modified it a bit and came up with my new favourite cake (yes, chocolate has bowed down to the humble vanilla this time). I love the lil vanilla bean specs in this white cake and white and chocolate ganache seal the deal to make this a cake you will not put down easily. I made it first for an order )sugar-free that too) and have made it twice thereafter in quick succession, thanks to popular demand :) So here's the angelic cake that will bring out the devil in you :p

The sugar-free order clicked by B'day boy Manu Srivastava

Ingredients:

• 2 cups maida
• 113 grams unsalted butter (1/2 cup) at room temperature
• 1 cup castor sugar (substitute with a sugar-free baking sugar or sugar substitute for sugar-free cakes for diabetic people) 
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 vanilla pod
• 2 eggs
• A pinch of salt

For the dark chocolate ganache, head to my previous post or click here - ganache. For white chocolate ganache, simple replace dark chocolate with white chocolate.

Method:

• Pre-heat your oven to 180C 
• Sift the flour and baking soda so that there are no lumps formed and keep it aside.
• Slit your vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds from both halves and keep aside. You can use the bean ‘shells’ to make yum vanilla sugar. Simply place them in your sugar container and there you have it.
• In a large mixing bowl, whip up your butter and sugar with an electric mixer till smooth and fluffy.
• Add your eggs one by one and beat after each addition.
• Add in the vanilla seed mixture and beat till incorporated and you can see lovely specs of black vanilla bean seeds in the batter.
• Add in the flour and milk alternatively, beating continuously, starting and ending with flour. Make sure to beat it till the batter is light and fluffy. Do not use all the milk if the batter is too runny.
• Pour into a prepared baking mould (butter the inside or use cooking spray) or pour into cupcake moulds lined with cupcake liners.
• Bake for 30 mins or so till a toothpick inserted comes out dry.

Decorating your cake/cupcakes:

For the cupcakes, just dip them top side up into melted ganache and leave to rest.

Sugar-free cupcakes dipped in melted chocolate ganache

You can also just alternate slivers of dark and white chocolate ganache, using a spoon to let the ganache flow into ribbons.

Cupcakes drizzled with slivers of white and dark chocolate ganache

Halve the cake, fill with chocolate ganache and top up with the same, adding globs of white chocolate on the edges if desired.

Vanilla cake filled and topped with ganache