White Celebration Gateau

Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C in a fan oven), 375°F, gas 5 and line the three cake tins with grease-proof paper. Bake the three cakes as follows one after the other beginning with the largest. It is best to bake them the day before they are filled.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and chill. Mix together the egg yolks, a pinch of salt, sugar, vanilla sugar and the lemon zest until foamy. Beat until doubled in size and the sugar has dissolved. Fold in the egg whites.

Mix together the flour, cocoa and baking powder and sieve into the mixture. Finally stir in the melted butter. Pour the mixture in the cake tin and bake for 35-40 minutes. Leave in the tin to cool and then remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool.

To make the cream boil 2/3 of the milk. Mix the cornflour and the vanilla seeds with the remaining milk, sugar and vanilla sugar then add it to the boiling milk and let it boil well stirring continuously. Set aside and leave to cool. Continue to stir occasionally or place some clingfilm directly on top of the mixture so that a skin does not form.

Once the cream has reached room temperature, beat the butter until creamy and work it into the vanilla cream.

Sieve the raspberry jam and mix with the raspberry liqueur.

Cut each of the three cakes in half to create sandwich halves. Place the bottom half of each sandwich on a cake stand, enclose with a cake ring and soak with the raspberry syrup.

Spread 1-2 tbsp butter cream on top, place the other sandwich half on top, cut side up and soak again with syrup. Spread the butter cream thinly all over each cake and chill for 1 hour.

To make the icing beat the egg whites and gradually sieve in the icing sugar. Stir without allowing too much air to enter the mixture. The mass should be spreadable and no longer liquid, if necessary add some more icing sugar. This mixture dries very quickly so always keep it covered with clingfilm.

Spread the icing on top of all three cakes starting from the top and spreading smoothly. To ice the sides spread the icing a little thicker and then gradually draw the icing down from top to bottom using a spatula to create a wave effect. Chill and leave to dry.