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Ingredients
    Vanilla Cake
  • ½ cup Butter

  • 2 cups C&H® Dark Brown Sugar
  • 3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
  • 245g All Purpose Flour
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
  • 2 tsp Dried Hibiscus Flower Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 cup Whole Milk
  • ¾ cup Egg Whites

    Swiss Meringue Buttercream
  • ¾ cup Egg Whites

  • 1 2/3 cup C&H® Granulated Sugar Easy Baking Tub
  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • ¾ tsp Cream of Tarter
  • 2 cups Unsalted Butter
  • 1 Tbsp Clear Vanilla Extract

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Instructions
Prep Time: 30 minutes / Cook Time : 50 minutes / Yields: two 8-inch cakes or three 6-inch cakes
Cinnamon Vanilla Cake

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream butter and C&H® Dark Brown Sugar on medium-low speed.

Step: 2

Add oil. Beat until combined and creamy. Stir in vanilla extract.

Step 3

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.With mixer on medium speed, gradually alternate between adding flour mixture and milk. (Start and end with flour mixture).

Step 4

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites on high with a whisk attachement. Add egg whites to batter and gently fold until just combined.

Step 5

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Step 1

In a mixing bowl, combine C&H® Granulated Sugar, egg whites, and salt. Whisk ingredients over a pot of simmering water until ingredients reach 160 F. Make sure water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.

Step 2

Move bowl to mixer, add cream of tarter and whisk ingredients on high for 8 minutes or until bowl is cool to touch. Switch to paddle attachment and mix on medium-low speed.

Step 3

Gradually add butter 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting comes together. Mix in vanilla extract.

White Chocolate Ganache

Step 1

In a bowl, add white chocolate chips.

Step 2

Heat heavy whipping cream in a microwave just until it begins to bubble.

Step 3

Pour heavy whipping cream over white chocolate chips and allow to sit for 1 minute.

Step 4

Using a whisk, stir the white chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream until combined.

Assembly

Step: 1

Level each cake and add simple syrup if desired. 

Step: 2

Begin stacking the 8 inch cake first with vanilla buttercream.

Step: 3

Add a thin layer of buttercream for a crumb coat to trap any loose crumbs.

Step: 4

Add a thicker layer of buttercream and smooth using a cake comb.

Step: 5

Repeat steps 1-4 with 6 inch cakes.

Step: 6

Add dowels to the 8 inch cake and carefully stack the 6 inch cake on top.

Step: 7

Using an airbrush machine, spray cake while spinning the turntable to create an ombre of color.

Step: 8

Add white chocolate ganache drip to both cake tiers.

Step: 9

Lastly, place hibiscus flowers on both tiers of cake. 

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Recipe by

Robert Lucas

@thesweetimpact

Self-taught cake artist and expert coach on The Big Nailed It Baking Challenge on Netflix, Robert Lucas, also known as The Sweet Impact created his first cake in 2019. In that time, he has created a community of millions of loyal fans who are enamored with his cakes and charming personalty. He is known for his fantastical artistry, modeling cakes after pop culture icons (Nike Air Jordan, Beauty and the Beast, Cocomelon) and more.