RED VELVET CAKE RECIPE

RED VELVET CAKE RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups (250g) sifted flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons (15g) cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk (To make it, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice for one cup of milk, stir and allow to rest for 10 minutes before using. Leave overnight or longer in fridge for better results)
• 2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring/For the powder food colour, choose the strawberry red colour and for 1 teaspoon, dilute with 2 tablespoon of water
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting:

   1 cub (250 grams) cream cheese, room temperature.

   1 cub (250 grams) tub of Mascarpone cheese, room temperature.

   1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

   1 cup (115 grams) icing sugar, sifted( You can use less by first tasting before adding the full amount).

   1 1/2 (360 ml) cups cold heavy whipping cream (35-40% butterfat) You may use less.

Method: 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F Gas 4. Butter a round 23cm tin and line with a parchment/greaseproof paper. You could also use 2 tins so as to bake the cake in two separate pieces.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa and salt together in one bowl and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the butter until soft then the sugar and beat until fluffy(about 2minutes)
4. Add the egg, one at a time, and thoroughly mixing one before adding the second one. Mix in the vanilla extract.
5. In a measuring jug, add the food color to the butter milk and stir till fully mixed.
6. Add the flour and buttermilk mixture in 3 batches starting and ending with the flour to the butter mixture. Make sure you mix the flour fully before adding the alternating batches of flour and buttermilk. Make sure its fully mixed through.
7. In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter. Speed is of importance and if the oven is not ready, wait till it’s hot enough because you do not want the leavening effects of the baking soda to be lost.
8. If using two baking tins, divide the batter into two equal portions. If using one tin, pour and level the batter and straight into the pre heated oven.
9. Bake for about 40 minute if using one tin or until a small knife comes out clean when inserted in the cake.
10. All to cool on the tin before transferring onto a wire rack after about 5 minutes. Slice it into equal sized layers if icing it.
11. If you intend to ice the cake, it's also advisable to chill it in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight when sliced awaiting the icing. This is to make the cake firm to work with as it tends to be very fragile if you work on it when fresh from the oven.

For the Icing:

1. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone till smooth then add the vanilla and sifted icing sugar and mix completely
2. Add the cream (should be cold from the fridge) and mix it till the mixture is thick enough to be spread. Take care the cream is not too much and you'd rather add more than putting too much making it runny.
3. During icing, spread in between the layers leaving enough to cover the top of the cake.

Tip:

• I have compiled a step by step guide of how to come up with the cake and loads of pictures of this beauty of a cake.(Will post very soon)
• You CANNOT substitute the buttermilk with ordinary milk, so make the buttermilk using the instructions given if not available in supermarket depending on where you are reading this from.