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Slice of double-layered red velvet cake with buttercream icing on a white plate
55Total Time
25Prep Time
30Bake Time
9Serves
Easy

Red Velvet Cake

Our favourite

35 Reviews

  • Vegetarian

About our red velvet cake recipe:

The infamous red velvet cake. Rich in colour and even richer in taste - this cake is a luxurious slice of heaven, smothered in cream cheese frosting, and perfect for any occasion.

How to make a red velvet cake red:

When baking our simple red velvet cake recipe, we recommend that you use red food colouring gel as opposed to liquid food colouring to achieve the classic bright red sponge. The coloured gel will hold its colour better when baked; simply add as much or as little as you need to reach your desired colour.

If you'd rather make red velvet cupcakes, then this recipe can be simple adapted to muffin cases; just bake them at 180c for 20-25 mins, and pipe with cream cheese frosting once completely cooled.

How to make a pink velvet cake:

To achieve a baby pink colour (see our recipe images for inspiration), the cocoa powder is omitted from the recipe. To counter this, the flour is increased from 300g to 330g.

It’s best to use a pink gel or oil-based food colouring to get a baby pink colour. Red food colouring will create more of a pinky-orange colour. We used about 2 teaspoons of pink food colouring.

55Total Time
25Prep Time
30Bake Time
9Serves
Easy

Method

  1. Step 1:

    Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan 160°C, gas mark 4). Line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins, with baking parchment.

  2. Step 2:

    Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon or in an electric mixer until combined. Add the eggs one at a time whilst still mixing, until both the eggs are incorporated and the mixture is lighter and smooth.

  3. Step 3:

    Seive the cocoa powder into the mixture and add the vanilla extract.

  4. Step 4:

    Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the salt. Slowly add half the flour to the chocolate mixture, then half of the buttermilk. Mix well then add the other half of the flour and the last of the buttermilk, continuing to mix. 

  5. Step 5:

    Add two teaspoons of red food colouring gel to the mixture, making sure it is mixed in well.

  6. Step 6:

    In a small mug combine the white wine vinegar and the bicarbonate of soda, then add to the mixture, stirring until combined. This will foam so make sure your container is big enough.

  7. Step 7:

    Split the mixture between the two lined sandwich tins and place in the oven for approximately 30 minutes. Your cake is ready as soon as a toothpick or knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool.

  8. Step 8:

    For the icing, place the butter, cream cheese and icing sugar in a food mixer and beat until smooth (or do by hand, beating quickly until thick and smooth). Cover one layer of the cake with icing, then sandwich the two pieces of cake together. Cover the top and sides of the cake with icing then grate dark chocolate over the top for the final touch.

Ingredients

  • For The Cake

    • 120g Unsalted butter (softened)
    • 300g Silver Spoon White Caster Sugar
    • 2 Free range large eggs
    • 50g Cocoa powder
    • 2 tsp Red food colouring gel
    • 1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
    • 300g Allinson's plain white flour
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • 240ml Buttermilk
    • 1 tbsp White wine vinegar
    • 1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
  • For the Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 100g Unsalted butter (softened)
    • 600g Silver Spoon Icing Sugar
    • 250g Full fat cream cheese
    • 10g Dark chocolate (for decoration)

Utensils

  • 2x 20cm/8in round cake tins

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