Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Red velvet cake

• 170 g Unsalted butter, softened
• 300 g Caster sugar
• 3 Egg, room temperature
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 15 g Cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp Liquid food coloring
• 300 g Plain flour
• ½ tsp Fine sea salt
• 240 ml Buttermilk
• 1 tsp White wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda

Cream cheese icing

• 115 g Unsalted butter, softened
• 450 g Cream cheese, cold
• 450 g Icing sugar, sifted if lumpy
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 pinch Fine sea salt

1. Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and line two 20 cm cake tins.
2. In a small bowl, stir the cocoa powder into the red food colouring to make a smooth paste. Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar for 3 to 5 minutes until very pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla.
4. Beat in the cocoa-colouring paste until evenly coloured. Scrape down the bowl so the mixture is uniform.
5. Whisk the flour and fine sea salt together. Add to the bowl in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, mixing on low just until combined.
6. Stir the vinegar into the bicarbonate of soda in a small bowl; it will fizz. Immediately fold it into the batter, then divide the batter between the tins and level the tops.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cakes spring back when lightly pressed and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
8. For the icing, beat the butter until smooth, then beat in the cream cheese just until combined. Add the icing sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt, then beat briefly until thick and smooth; do not overbeat.
9. Level the cakes if needed, then place one layer on a serving plate and spread over about a third of the icing. Top with the second layer, then ice the top and sides; chill for 20 minutes to set before slicing.

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