RED VELVET LAYER CAKE

Makes: one 21cm round cake with two layers

Difficulty: Easy

EQUIPMENT:

Two x 21cm round cake tins
Electric mixer
rubber spatula
flat knife or palette knife

INGREDIENTS:

Cake

80g (2.8 oz) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
200g (7 oz) Caster Sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
15g (0.5 oz) Cocoa Powder
30ml (1 fl oz) liquid red food colouring
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
160ml (5.4 fl oz) Buttermilk
200g (7 oz) Plain Flour
3/4 teaspoon Salt
3/4 teaspoon Bicarb Soda
2 teaspoons White Wine Vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting

600g (1.3 lb) Icing Sugar Mixture
250g (8.8 oz) Cream Cheese
100g (3.4 oz) Unsalted Butter, softened

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius (150 fan-forced; 340 F). Grease the sides of two 21cm round cake tins with non-stick spray and line the bases with baking paper.

To the bowl of an electric mixer add the soft butter and caster sugar. Beat them together on medium speed until the mixture is thick, pale and fluffy.

Add the eggs a little at a time. Beat the batter well after each addition of eggs until the batter is well mixed and smooth.

In a small separate bowl sift in the cocoa powder, add the vanilla extract and the red food colouring. Stir together until a thick deep red paste forms with no lumps.

Add the red paste to the bowl of the electric mixer and beat again on low speed until all the red colouring is evenly distributed. Scrape down the side of the bowl.

Add half of the buttermilk and half of the flour. Beat on low speed until just combined. Add the rest of the buttermilk and flour. Beat together lightly. It’s ok if the batter looks curdled at this stage.

Add the salt, bicarbonate soda and vinegar to the bowl. They’ll fizz together. Beat again on low speed for one minute, until everything is evenly mixed.

Split the cake batter evenly between the two cake tins. Check the oven has reached the correct temperature then place both pans on the middle rack of the oven.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top of each cake bounces back when lightly touched and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. If not, add another 5 minutes to the timer then check once more.

Remove cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Turn them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cakes are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. Add the icing sugar and softened butter to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on low speed until the butter has coated the icing sugar to form a sandy texture. Increase speed to medium and add cubes of cream cheese one at a time. The frosting will start quite thick and yellow, then loosen to a fluffy white frosting. Beat for about 5 minutes to allow the icing sugar to dissolve.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer onto a cake board or serving plate. Spread about one-third of the frosting over the cake evenly. Place the other cake layer directly on top. Spread more cream cheese over the top and the sides as well if you like.

BAKING TIPS:

• Liquid red food colouring has worked best for me. I like Queen brand, because there’s no aftertaste to their colour.
• Weigh all ingredients accurately and don’t over beat the cake batter.
• Always pre-heat your oven and double-check the temperature is correct using an oven thermometer.
• The cake batter will split if the ingredients were not at room temperature before beating together. It’s not a big deal if they do.
• If you over-beat the frosting it can go runny. Use softened butter not melted butter and only beat until the right consistency and texture is achieved.

Recipe adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery 

Red Velvet Cake

Classic homestyle red velvet cake layered with fluffy cream cheese frosting.

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Servings	Prep Time	Cook Time	Passive Time
12slices	25mins	25mins	45mins

Servings	Prep Time
12slices	25mins

Cook Time	Passive Time
25mins	45mins

Ingredients

• Red Velvet Cake
• 80 g Unsalted Butter softened to room temperature
• 200 g Caster Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 15 g Cocoa Powder
• 30 ml Red food colouring liquid
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 160 ml Buttermilk
• 200 g Plain Flour
• 3/4 teaspoon Salt
• 3/4 teaspoon Bicarbonate Soda
• 2 teaspoons White Wine Vinegar
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• 600 g Icing Sugar
• 250 g Cream Cheese
• 100 g Unsalted Butter softened

Servings: slices

Units:MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients Red Velvet Cake 80 g Unsalted Butter softened to room temperature 200 g Caster Sugar 2 Eggs 15 g Cocoa Powder 30 ml Red food colouring liquid 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 160 ml Buttermilk 200 g Plain Flour 3/4 teaspoon Salt 3/4 teaspoon Bicarbonate Soda 2 teaspoons White Wine Vinegar Cream Cheese Frosting 600 g Icing Sugar 250 g Cream Cheese 100 g Unsalted Butter softened Servings: slices Units:MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius (150 fan-forced; 340 F). Grease the sides of two 21cm round cake tins with non-stick spray and line the bases with baking paper.
2. To the bowl of an electric mixer add the soft butter and caster sugar. Beat them together on medium speed until the mixture is thick, pale and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs a little at a time. Beat the batter well after each addition of eggs until the batter is well mixed and smooth.
4. In a small separate bowl sift in the cocoa powder, add the vanilla extract and the red food colouring. Stir together until a thick deep red paste forms with no lumps.
5. Add the red paste to the bowl of the electric mixer and beat again on low speed until all the red colouring is evenly distributed. Scrape down the side of the bowl.
6. Add half of the buttermilk and half of the flour. Beat on low speed until just combined. Add the rest of the buttermilk and flour. Beat together lightly. It’s ok if the batter looks curdled at this stage.
7. Add the salt, bicarbonate soda and vinegar to the bowl. They’ll fizz together. Beat again on low speed for one minute, until everything is evenly mixed.
8. Split the cake batter evenly between the two cake tins. Check the oven has reached the correct temperature then place both pans on the middle rack of the oven.
9. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top of each cake bounces back when lightly touched and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. If not, add another 5 minutes to the timer then check once more.
10. Remove cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Turn them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
11. While the cakes are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. Add the icing sugar and softened butter to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on low speed until the butter has coated the icing sugar to form a sandy texture. Increase speed to medium and add cubes of cream cheese one at a time. The frosting will start quite thick and yellow, then loosen to a fluffy white frosting. Beat for about 5 minutes to allow the icing sugar to dissolve.
12. To assemble the cake, place one cake layer onto a cake board or serving plate. Spread about one-third of the frosting over the cake evenly. Place the other cake layer directly on top. Spread more cream cheese over the top and the sides as well if you like.

Recipe Notes

• Liquid red food colouring has worked best for me. I like Queen brand because there’s no aftertaste to their colour.
• Weigh all ingredients accurately and don’t over beat the cake batter.
• Always pre-heat your oven and double-check the temperature is correct using an oven thermometer.
• The cake batter will split if the ingredients were not at room temperature before beating together. It’s not a big deal if they do.
• If you overbeat the frosting it can go runny. Use softened butter not melted butter and only beat until the right consistency and texture are achieved.

Nutrition Facts

Red Velvet Cake

Amount Per Serving

Calories 522 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 20g 31%

Saturated Fat 12g 60%

Trans Fat 0.01g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.4g

Cholesterol 94mg 31%

Sodium 304mg 13%

Potassium 50mg 1%

Total Carbohydrates 82g 27%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 67g

Protein 5g 10%

Vitamin A 14%

Calcium 4%

Iron 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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