The layers:
For the ombre effect, the layers need to be baked and colored individually.
It's best to bake the first 2 layers first and then repeat the process.
Since the batter comes together really quickly, this isn't all that much effort.
1. Line the base of 2 equally sized cake tins/springform pans (diameter: 17.5-20 cm) with parchment paper.
2. Preheat the oven to 180° top/bottom heat.
For the first 2 layers you use half of the ingredients:
3. Sift 280g flour, 140g sugar, and 1 packet baking powder into a bowl. Now add 1 tsp vanilla extract/paste, 200 g sparkling water, 50g sunflower oil, and 1 egg and mix together only until all lumps have dissolved.
4. Fill half of the batter into another bowl. Now you can tint both batters with food coloring to different intensities (2 drops, 4 drops, 6 drops
etc.).
5. Fill the batters into the two prepared cake tins and bake on the middle rack for approx. 22 minutes. It's best to test with the toothpick test whether the cake is fully baked.
6. Let the layers cool for about 20 min. Then carefully release from the tin and repeat "step 1" for the next two layers.
The buttercream:
7. Whip the soft butter with a pinch of salt in a powerful stand mixer for about 5 minutes, until it is noticeably paler and creamier.
8. Now let the sweetened condensed milk flow into the butter in a thin stream and whip the mixture for another 5-10 minutes. With a hand mixer it takes longer.
9. Stack the two middle cake layers (i.e. not the bottom layer and not the "lid") on top of each other and cut a hole in the middle with a knife (this is where the chocolate balls will be filled in later).
10. Set out the bottom layer and the two middle layers. You don't need the "lid" for this step yet.
Fill part of the buttercream into a piping bag with a round tip and pipe a ring onto the completely cooled cake layers. Go along the outer edge of the layers and pipe a ring, so the Raffaello-strawberry cream can't leak out later. For the two middle layers, also pipe the inner ring.
11. Place the 3 layers in the fridge so the buttercream rings become hard and stable (approx. 45-60 minutes). In the meantime, prepare the filling.
The Raffaello-strawberry filling:
12. Finely chop the strawberries and the Raffaellos. Whip the cream with the cream stabilizer until stiff. Now mix the mascarpone with the sweetened condensed milk in another bowl and fold in the strawberries and the Raffaello. Finally, carefully fold in the cream.
Stacking, filling the cake, and crumb coat
13. First fill the bottom layer with the Raffaello-strawberry cream. Place the second layer on top, straighten it, and fill it with the cream as well.
14. Place the third layer on top, straighten it, and fill with the cream. Now the "cavity" for the chocolate balls has formed.
15. Before the "lid" is placed on top, the "cavity" now needs to be coated with buttercream. Afterward you can fill it with the balls.
16. Now the "lid" can be placed on top. Straighten the cake from all sides once more. Now apply a thin layer of buttercream all around and also on top of the "lid" and smooth it out. This thin layer serves as the crumb coat.
17. Chill the cake for at least 30 min. In the meantime, tint the buttercream.
18. Divide the remaining buttercream into 2 bowls and tint with food coloring.
19. After chilling, the cake can be taken out of the fridge and coated all around with the colored buttercream. Now smooth the buttercream off with a cake scraper.
20. The leftover buttercream can now be put into a piping bag and piped into dots etc. as desired.
21. Now the cake can be decorated with sprinkles as you like. :)
