DIY Wedding Cake Recipe & Jam Favours with Panasonic Kitchen

So many of the weddings we have the pleasure to see and feature here at Whimsical Wonderland Weddings include DIY projects; from flower arranging to wedding stationery designing and wedding baking. Hosting a DIY wedding is becoming more and more popular with couples who want a unique wedding, which is also super personal to them. With loved ones often coming together too to give a helping hand which also gives such a meaningful touch to a wedding celebration. Going DIY can also often help with the budget if couples are savvy about the projects they take on and work out the costs involved before embarking on getting crafty and creative.

One of the biggest expenses when it comes to wedding planning has to be the feeding guests, what with a meal, evening food, cake, favours, canapés and little extras all adding up, not to mention the fact that more guests equals a bigger cost impact.

However the Panasonic Kitchen team are great believers in that by investing in a quality kitchen appliance, soon-to-be newlyweds can easily create their own home-made, incredible tasting cuisine for their wedding day, giving an utterly personal feel to their wedding. How awesome is that?!

All Panasonic appliances have been consciously designed to take the struggle out of both baking and cooking. The versatility of each and every product they offer means that cooks and bakers alike can make bread, cake (and gluten free options), mains and side dishes, jams and spreads all with the simple touch of a button, thanks to the many automated features available on each appliance.

Panasonic Kitchen have been kind enough to share with us two delicious recipes; one four-tiered, vanilla DIY wedding cake, as well as scrummy Strawberry and Champagne Jam DIY wedding favours. For the full recipes, and their top tips in making them, read on.

To view the full range of Panasonic Kitchen appliances, visit John Lewis.

DIY Wedding Cake Recipe

Dish: 4x 20cm (8”) deep loose bottom cake tins, greased and lined

Panasonic Accessory: Panasonic CF8 range

Ingredients

• 225g butter or baking spread
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 225g self-raising flour
• 2 level tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp warm water

Filling

• Strawberry jam
• 175g butter, room temp
• 350g icing sugar
• 1/4tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat oven on CONVECTION 180 °C.
2. Grease and line the tin.
3. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs a little at a time beating well after each addition.
5. Sieve the flour and baking powder together and gently fold into the mixture.
6. Add 1-2 tsp of warm water until the mixture drops easily off the spoon.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Place the tin on the base of the oven and Bake on CONVECTION 180 °C for 40 minutes or until golden and the top springs back when lightly pressed.
8. Remove from the tin to completely cool.
9. Repeat 3 more times to make 4 cakes.
10. When the cakes are cool carefully slice the tops to make an even flat surface. Spread the bottom of one cake generously with strawberry jam, then with one third of the butter icing. Lay the next cake on top and repeat. Finish the last sponge with the base uppermost to give a flat top.
11. Either fully ice the cake with a ready rolled icing or make another batch of the butter icing and lightly ice, leaving some of the sponge exposed for the naked cake effect.
12. Dress with fresh fruits and macaroons or fresh flowers.

*To create the butter icing, gradually beat together the icing sugar, butter and vanilla extract until combined.

Top Tips from Sammy Dell, Head of Small Kitchen Appliances at Panasonic

1. When decorating with fresh flowers that aren’t an edible variety, be careful to wrap the stems before inserting into the cake – this will avoid any sap seeping into the sponge.
2. When preparing your cake tins, make sure you grease evenly and all the way to the top, as this will ensure an even cake bake level.

Strawberry and Champagne Jam – Spread the Love Wedding Favours

Items needed: Sterilised jam jars, twine, brown tags

Panasonic Accessory: Panasonic 2522 Bread Maker

Ingredients

• 600g strawberries, hulled and finely chopped
• 400g sugar
• The juice of 1 lemon
• 150mls champagne or prosecco
• 20g powdered pectin

Method

1. Place half of the fruit into the bread pan, then add half of the sugar on top. Repeat with the remaining fruit and sugar in layers until you have run out
2. Add the lemon juice and champagne
3. Sprinkle the pectin onto the ingredients in the bread pan
4. Select the jam menu and enter 1 hour 40 mins on the timer
5. When complete, leave to cool and then ladle the jam into the sterilised jars
6. Add some twine and a personalised tag as a finishing touch!

So there you have it, two brilliant recipes to ensure your DIY wedding cake and favours goes off without a hitch! Delicious xo Lou