Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I recently attempted my first ever red velvet cake that was, much to my concern, for an order!  I decided to try a few recipes to figure out the best. They were up to their ears in red velvet and cream cheese frosting at home - I doubt they ever want me to bake another again! I used a brilliant recipe which I found in a gorgeous cookbook given to me by my mam at Christmas time. It was extremely easy to follow and the results were perfect. 

Red velvet is an interesting cake to bake. The deep reddish brown colour is a result of a chemical reaction between baking soda, buttermilk and cocoa powder. Many add more red food colouring for a much brighter shade of red that serves as a brilliant contrast colour to the white cream cheese frosting. 

Ingredients 

FOR THE RED VELVET SPONGE

280g Plain Flour (sieved)

55g Cornflour

1.5 tsp Baking Powder (sieved) 

280g Caster Sugar 

225g Butter (softened)

4 tbsp water

55g Cocoa Powder 

3 Eggs (lightly beaten) 

250ml Buttermilk

2 tsp Vanilla Extract 

3-4 tbsp Red Food Colouring 

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 

50g Cream Chesse 

50g Butter (softened)

200g Icing Sugar 

1tsp Vanilla Extract 

1-2 tbsp Boiling Water 

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Method

FOR THE RED VELVET SPONGE 

1) Preheat the oven to 190C / 400F / Gas Mark 5, grease 2x 6 inch round cake tins with melted butter and line with grease proof paper. 

2) In a small pot, melt the butter and cocoa powder. When combined, take off the heat and leave to sit and cool slightly. 

3) In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla extract, buttermilk and red food colouring until the mixture forms bubble or a froth. 

4) In another separate bowl, add the sieved flour and baking powder followed by the sugar. Mix and leave to one side. 

5) Add the butter mixture to the whisked mixture and stir. Once combined, fold in the dry ingredients using a metal spoon. Only add 3-4 spoonfuls at a time.

6) Once combined, divide the mix between the two tins and bake for approx. 35 minutes. The cakes should e firm to touch. Once baked, leave the cakes to cool in their tins for 3-4 minutes. Then remove them from the tins and leave to cool fully on a wire wrack. 

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FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 

1) Using your electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and the softened butter. Once combined, add the icing sugar and beat. 

2) When the mixture has reached a paste like consistency, add the vanilla extract followed by the boiling water and beat continuously for 5-6 minutes. If the frosting is still quite heavy and thick add another  tsp of boiling water. 

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For a sandwich style red velvet cake, simply place one cool sponge on your plate or cake board, spread a layer of your cream cheese frosting, place the other sponge on top and completely cover the cake in the remaining frosting using your pallet knife, I piped the icing for effect but either will work well. I also used a red velvet ribbon to decorate. 

If you'd rather make red velvet cupcakes simply follow the same recipe but, instead of using the two cake tins, use a muffin tray lined with bun cases. Bake the cupcakes for 15- 20 minutes until firm to touch and leave to cool on a wore wrack before icing. For something a little different, I say one bun on top of the other to form a sandwich. 

Spread the Love with a Red Velvet Cake

Why not spread the love this Valentine's Day by baking something sweet for that special someone? This Red Velvet Cake is the perfect for the occasion. I've been fascinated by Red Velvet and have been meaning to try a Red Velvet Cake for a while, so when I was considering recipes for Valentine's Day this cake really did seem like the perfect cake to bake. The deep brownish-red colour of the cake comes from the chemical reaction of the anthocyanins in the cocoa powder with an acid which in this case is the buttermilk and to add to the effect red food colouring is also used. 

Ingredients 

FOR THE CAKE 

225g Butter (softened) 

4 tbsp Water 

55g Cocoa Powder

3 Eggs (lightly beaten) 

250ml Buttermilk 

2 tsp Vanilla Extract 

2 tbsp Red Food Colouring

280g Plain Flour

55g Cornflour

1.5 tsp Baking Powder 

280g Caster Sugar 

FOR THE FROSTING 

90g Butter

20g Cream Cheese

200g Icing Sugar 

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Method

FOR THE CAKE

1) Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ Gas Mark 4 and grease your two 8inch round or your two heart shaped cake tins with oil and line with greaseproof paper

2) Melt the butter along with the water and cocoa powder in a saucepan until fully melted and smooth, then take off the heat

3) In your mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract and red colouring until frothy

4) Then quickly and evenly stir in the flour, cornflour and baking powder, followed by the caster sugar 

5) Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and bake for approximately 25-30 mins, until the mixture has risen and is firm to te touch 

FOR THE FROSTING 

1) Cream the butter and cream cheese together, followed by it and the and icing sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy

2) Add in the vanilla extract and beat again until smooth 

3) Using your pallet knife spread the frosting between the two layers and completely over the rest of the cake 

4) Decorate the cake however you wish - I used pink confetti hearts seens as it's Valentine's Day.

If you'd rather individual red velvet cupcakes instead of one large cake, simply half the mixture for 12 cupcakes, and, spoon 1-2 spoonfuls of the mixture into each bun case. Bake the cupcakes for approx 15 minutes until they are risen and from to the touch.

If you happen to have a heart shaped muffin mold, go ahead and use it, but if not, have no fear, there's a solution. Simply place a marble into each slot in your cake tin along with the bun case as demonstrated in the picture above. 

And again, decorate the cupcakes as you wish with the frosting and any other little hearts and bits n bobs to make them all the more special.