Rose pink vertical stripe cake

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line base and long sides of pan with baking paper, extending paper 5cm over sides.

Step 2

Beat 3 eggs and ⅓ cup sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until pale and doubled in size. Sift ¾ cup flour and ½ teaspoon baking powder over egg mixture; pour 30g melted butter down side of the bowl. Using a metal balloon whisk, gently fold mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into pan; smooth surface.

Step 3

Bake cake for 15 minutes or until dry to the touch.

Step 4

Place a piece of baking paper cut the same size as the pan on bench; sprinkle with some of the extra sugar. Turn hot sponge onto paper; peel away lining paper. Using paper as a guide; loosely roll sponge from short side. Stand until cool.

Step 5

Follow steps 2-4 five more times, but tint each mixture a darker shade of pink to the previous batch.

Step 6

While cakes are cooling, make butter cream.

Step 7

Beat butter in a medium bowl with electric mixer until as white as possible. Gradually add sifted icing sugar, in batches, until well combined.

Step 8

Add milk and essence; beat until well combined. Reserve one-third of the butter cream in another bowl.

Step 9

Make Swiss meringue butter cream.

Step 10

Combine egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl. Place over a pan of simmering water; whisk constantly for 10 minutes or until mixture reaches 70°C on a sugar thermometer and sugar is completely dissolved.

Step 11

Transfer to large bowl of an electric mixer; beat for 10 minutes or until firm peaks form and mixture is almost at room temperature. Add butter, one cube at a time, beating well between additions, until all the butter is incorporated and the mixture is pale and smooth; beat in extract.

Step 12

Divide mixture evenly into 4 bowls. Tint 3 bowls pink, so that each portion is slightly darker than the last. Leave last portion plain.

Step 13

Carefully unroll cooled sponges. Use serrated knife to trim edges of each sponge. Cut each sponge in half lengthways. Spread each layer evenly with remaining butter cream.

Step 14

Starting with a plain sponge, roll one half to create a log - you need one half of the plain sponge only. Roll light pink cake around plain sponge. Continue rolling sponges, graduating from light to dark pink. Place on cake board.

Step 15

Spread reserved butter cream over top and side of cake.

Step 16

Spread plain meringue butter cream over top of cake. Spread lightest pink butter cream over the top third of the cake; spread the next shade over the middle third of the cake. Spread darkest shade over the lower edge of cake. Use spatula to gently blend colours.

Step 17

Top with fresh organic flowers, if you like.