The Best Red Velvet Cake

FOR RED VELVET CAKE

• 325 g (2 1/2 cup) Plain flour/all-purpose flour
• 14 g (2 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 300 g (1 1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 4 eggs UK-medium/US-large
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 190 g (1 cup) vegetable oil
• 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) full fat milk/whole milk
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp red food gel colour

FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 225 g (1 cup) Unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• 200 g (approx. 3/4 cup) Full-fat cream cheese, COLD (straight from the fridge)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 325 g (2 1/2 cup) Icing sugar/powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/4 tsp salt

FOR DECORATING THE CAKE

• Roasted dry red velvet cake crumbs
• White chocolate-coated strawberries (optional)
• Fresh strawberries.

FOR RED VELVET CAKE

• Preheat the Fan oven to 155C/311F (For a conventional oven, 175C/347F).
• Prepare two 7-inch round cake pans.  Grease and line the bottom of both pans with baking paper.
• In a large bowl, sift together the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar vanilla extract and eggs together on medium speed until they become light and fluffy.
• Then add vegetable oil, milk, buttermilk and vinegar and beat again to combine.
• Add red gel food colour according to your colour preference. First, add 1 tsp of gel colour or add more to reach the desired colour and mix to combine. I added 1 1/2 tsp of food colour here.
• Add in the dry ingredients, and beat again on low until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
• Pour the batter into the cake pans. Tap the pans gently on the kitchen counter to remove air bubbles.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and let it rest in the pans for 10-15 minutes. Then flip over onto a wire rack to cool completely before assembling. You can make 2 cakes a day before, cover them in plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge as it's very easy to assemble the cakes if they are cool enough.

FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• Cream the softened butter on medium speed (with a hand mixer or stand mixer) until smooth and light in colour (about 4-5 minutes).
• Add in the lemon juice, salt and half of the icing sugar/powdered sugar (sifted). Mix with a spatula then beat on low speed until well combined, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
• Take out the COLD cream cheese straight from the fridge, shift it to a small bowl and give it a good mix using a spoon or a hand mixer. Then add in the above butter mixture. Beat it until combined and fluffy.
• Add the remaining icing sugar/powdered sugar, and beat until fluffy and well combined. Be careful, not to overbeat the frosting as it becomes runny. Use it right away.

RED VELVET CRUMBS TO DECORATE

• Once the cakes have cooled, use a serrated knife to carefully trim off the tops and crumble them into small pieces. Spread those pieces evenly on a lined baking tray and bake in a fan oven at 150°C/302°F (170°C/338°F for conventional ovens) for 10-15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let them cool completely. Grind the crumbs in a coffee grinder or food processor until fine and smooth. Use immediately or store in an airtight container.

WHITE CHOCOLATE-COATED STRAWBERRIES TO DECORATE

• Wash and thoroughly dry the strawberries to ensure the chocolate sticks properly. Melt 100 g of chopped white chocolate and 1 tsp of vegetable oil in the microwave in short intervals, stirring until smooth.
• Hold each strawberry by the green leafy part and dip it into the melted chocolate, moving it around to get an even coating. Let the excess chocolate drip off then place it onto the baking mat.
• Allow the chocolate to set in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. For a thicker coating, repeat the dipping process. Once cooled, decorate with swirls of warm white chocolate using a spoon or piping bag.

ASSEMBLY

• Place one cake layer on a stand or plate and generously spread frosting over it.
• Add the second cake layer on top and cover the top and sides with frosting. Smooth the frosting using a palette knife, applying only a single crumb coat since the cake will be decorated with dry crumbs.
• Coat the entire cake with the prepared crumbs and gently press them onto the frosting using your hand.
• Top it with fresh strawberries and white chocolate-covered strawberries. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, slice with a sharp knife, and enjoy! 😊