Sugar Street Studios

RECIPE: RED VELVET

Makes one 3 layer 6 inch cake (or one 2 layer 9 inch cake)

TIPS: 

If your cakes dome when cooking, cut off the tops and use the crumbled off cuts as decorative red crumbs on or around your cake.

If you prefer, swap out the Ermine Frosting for a Cream Cheese Frosting.

FOR THE CAKE

Plain cake flour       275g

Cocoa Powder 2tbsps

Salt 1 rsp

Baking Soda 1 tsp

Buttermilk 250ml

Vanilla Extract 1 tsp

Apple Cider Vinegar 1 tsp

Unsalted Butter 225g

Golden Caster Sugar 340g

Eggs 2

Red Food Dye A few drops

FOR THE ERMINE FROSTING

Whole Milk 250ml

Plain FLour 2 tbsps

Unsalted Butter Soft 250g

White Caster Sugar 250g

Vanilla Extract 2 tsps

Pinch of salt

KIT NEEDED

Electric Whisk or Cake Mixer

Greaseproof paper

3 x 6 inch cake pans

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 160C/ 325F.

Use a cake mixer with a paddle attachment if you have one, otherwise a handheld electric mixer is fine.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light. ( About 5 minutes)

Add the eggs one at a time until well beaten. Add in the red food colour

In a bowl measure out the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. 

In a jug mix together the wet ingredients until combined.

Now alternatively add the dry and wet ingredients about a quarter at a time into the creamed red butter mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared tins and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely. Trim the tops of hte cakes if required and reserve these crumbs for decorating the cake (optional). 

For the frosting place the flour into a small saucepan and add a few tablespoons of your measured milk and beat to form a thick paste. Slowly add the rest of the milk whisking all the time so the roux is smooth and lump free. Place on a medium heat on the stove and cook for about 30 – 60 seconds whisking all the time. As you stir and heat the mixture will thicken, Allow to cool, covering the top with cling film to prevent a skin from forming.

Beat the soft butter, sugar, pinch of salt together until well creamed (about 5 minutes in a cake mixer). Then add the vanilla and slowly pour in the thicken milk mixture. Beat for another 5 – 6 minutes until the mixture is light and spreadable.

This amount is enough to fill and top a three layer cake. If you want to cover the sides and have enough for piped decorations I recommend doubling the quantities.

Fill the cooled cake with the ermine frosting, sprinkle any reserved red velvet crumbs on top  and serve at room temperature.