If, like your Thursday Food team, the Super Bowl half-time show is still top of mind, then Jolie Smith’s Super Bowl Buccaneers Cake with Vanilla Buttercream will keep you rocking all weekend long.

Super Bowl Buccaneers Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients:

2 cups plain/all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup milk

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan). Place shelf in the middle of the oven.

Grease cake pans with butter, then line with parchment/baking paper.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

Beat eggs for 30 seconds on speed 6 of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or hand beater.

With the beater still going, pour the sugar in over 45 seconds.

Then beat for 7 minutes on speed 8, or until tripled in volume and white.

Heat milk-butter: While egg is beating, place butter and milk in a heatproof jug and microwave 2 minutes on high to melt butter (or use stove). Do not let milk bubble and boil. Don’t do this ahead and let the milk cool.

When the egg is whipped, scatter 1/3 flour across the surface, then beat on speed 1 for 5 seconds. Add half the remaining flour, then mix on speed 1 for 5 sec. Add remaining flour, then mix on speed 1 for 5-10 sec until the flour is just mixed in. Once you can’t see flour, stop straightaway.

Pour hot milk, vanilla, and oil into the now-empty flour bowl. Add about 1 1/2 cups of the egg batter into the milk-butter. Use a whisk to mix until smooth — you can be vigorous here. Will look foamy.

Turn the beater back on speed 1 then pour the milk mixture into the egg batter over 15 seconds, then turn the beater off.

Scrape down sides and base of the bowl. Beat on speed 1 for 10 seconds — batter should now be smooth and pourable.

Pour batter into pans.

Bake 30 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Method:

In a medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter with a spoon or electric mixer at low speed. Stir in vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk.

Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time. If frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar.

Add 2 tablespoons of red food colouring gradually until the desired colour.