RECIPE FOR RED VELVET SPONGE CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Grease and line 4 x 20cm/8in cake tins.
• Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one until combined. Stir in the cocoa, food colouring, vanilla and almond extracts.
• Add half the flour and the salt and mix through, then add half the buttermilk and mix again. Repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk.
• When you have a smooth batter, mix the vinegar with the bicarbinate of soda, then add to the batter. Mix into a smooth batter and divide between the two tins, level off and bake for 40 minutes.
• Take out and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
• Make the icing by whipping together the butter and icing sugar. Add the cream cheese and vanilla and mix in.
• As soon as the cakes are cooled, level off the tops and reserve any offcuts and crumbs. Sandwich the cake with the icing.
• Cover the top and sides of the cake with a layer of icing. Crumble up the cake scraps and press into the sides of the cake before the icing forms a crust.
• Arrange whole strawberries around the top edge of the cake and drizzle them with melted chocolate. Dust the strawberries with a little edible gold glitter to finish.

Steps:

• Line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake cases and set aside. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Sieve the flour, cocoa, bicarb and a pinch of fine salt into a medium bowl and mix to combine.
• Using a stand mixer or an electric hand whisk, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg, vanilla, buttermilk, oil and vinegar until combined. Gradually mix the wet ingredients into the dried. Once combined, mix in the red food colouring until you have a deep red mix – the colour may vary depending on what brand you use.
• Divide the batter between the cupcake cases and bake for 15 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cake comes out clean.
• While the cakes are cooling, make the icing. Beat together the butter and icing sugar using an electric whisk or by hand until pale and fluffy, about 3 mins, then beat in the cream cheese for a further 1-2 mins until well combined.
• Once the cakes are cool, use a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle to cover the cakes with the cream cheese icing, or dollop the icing on top using a spoon.