Ingredients:

  • 3 cups (375g) cake flour
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp (15g) baking powder
  • ½ tsp (3g) salt
  • 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 large eggs (200g)
  • 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla bean paste
  • 2 tbsp (30g) melted butter
  • 5 large egg whites (150g)
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 2 cups (450g) unsalted butter, cubed and softened
  • 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (250g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • White food coloring (gel or paste)
  • 4 oz (115g) white fondant
  • Black gel food coloring
  • Red gel food coloring
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) corn syrup

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line pans with parchment paper.
  2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the mixer bowl.
  3. Add softened butter and mix on low until the texture resembles coarse sand.
  4. Gradually incorporate eggs one at a time, followed by the milk and vanilla bean paste.
  5. Beat on medium-high for 2 minutes until the batter looks glossy and smooth.
  6. Stir in melted butter by hand, pour into pans, and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Level the tops of the cakes using a serrated knife to ensure a flat surface.
  9. Place the first layer on the turntable and spread a thick layer of Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
  10. Stack the second layer on top and cover the entire exterior with a thin crumb coat of frosting.
  11. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set the structure.
  12. Apply the final thick layer of buttercream, smoothing the sides with an offset spatula until the surface is flawlessly flat.
  13. Load a piping bag with black-tinted buttercream and pipe a continuous EKG line around the circumference of the cake.
  14. Roll out white fondant and use a template to cut a stethoscope shape, using a toothpick to indent the tubing for realism.
  15. Place the fondant stethoscope on top of the cake and pipe a small red heart at the end of the tubing.