Red Velvet Cake

Saved BBC Good Food recipe. Professional gel or paste colour is recommended; natural liquid colour may turn the sponge green. Uniced sponges may be wrapped for up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 months.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C. Oil and line the bases and sides of two 20 cm tins; line shallow tins to at least 5 cm deep. This recipe is baked in two batches to make four sponges.

Step 2

Mix half the flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate, brown sugar and salt, breaking up sugar lumps. Separately whisk half the buttermilk, oil, cake vanilla and food colouring with 100 ml water and 2 eggs until smooth. Whisk wet ingredients into dry.

Step 3

Divide between the tins and bake for 25–30 minutes until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, turn onto a rack, remove paper and cool completely. Repeat using the remaining sponge ingredients and 100 ml water to make two more layers.

Step 4

For icing, mash the butter with half the sifted icing sugar, then beat smooth. Add cream cheese, icing vanilla and remaining sifted icing sugar, mash, then beat smooth.

Step 5

Use a little icing to secure one sponge to a cake board. Stack the four sponges using roughly half the icing between layers. Cover the top and sides with the rest. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days and bring to room temperature for about 1 hour before serving.