America - How to make Red Velvet Cake

How to make Red Velvet Cake

By Anna Olson

From Food Network

Key info

Difficulty › Intermediate     Prep time › 40 mins     Cook time › 35 mins     Serves › 10-12

Ingredients

190g unsalted butter, room temperature

400g sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

300g plain flour

50g regular cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

360ml buttermilk

1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp red food colouring gel (this is preferred over liquid food colour)

For the icing :

190g unsalted butter, at room temperature

340g cream cheese, at room temperature

450g icing  sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease two 8-inch square pans and line the pans with parchment so that it comes up the sides as well.

Using electric beaters or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth, then add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beating well after each addition, beat in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add this alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour. Stir the white vinegar and food colour together and add this to the cake batter on low speed, but mixing until blended in. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans and spread to level.

Bake the cakes for about 35 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans for 20 minutes, then turn them out to cool completely.

For the frosting , beat the butter until fluffy, then beat in the cream cheese until well blended and smooth. Add the icing  sugar in 2 additions, beating first on low speed and then increasing. Beat in the vanilla.

To assemble the cake, place the first layer of cake on your platter or plate and spread a generous amount of frosting  on the top. Top this with the second cake layer and frost  the top and then the sides. Use your spatula to create any swirls or patterns you wish, then chill for at least 2 hours before slicing to serve.

The cake will keep, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

*For an alternative made without food colouring, replace 1/4 cup  of the buttermilk with 1/3 cup  of finely grated  raw beets. Stir the beets in with the buttermilk and follow the recipe as above.