Red Velvet Cake with Cream-Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 180 gMaida
• 1/2 tspBaking soda
• 1/2 tspBaking powder
• a pinchSalt
• 2 tbspCocoa powder
• 1/2 cupOil
• 1 cupSugar
• 1 cupMilk
• 2 tspVinegar
• 1.5 tspRed food colour
• 1 tspVanilla essence
• 2 tbspCream cheese (frosting)
• 2 tspMargarine (frosting)
• 2 tbspCaster sugar (frosting)
• 1 tspVanilla essence (frosting)
• 1.5 cupsWhipped cream (frosting)

Method

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line an 8-inch tin.

2. 2

   Sieve maida, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. 3

   Whisk oil, sugar, milk, vinegar, red colour and vanilla.

4. 4

   Fold dry into wet just to combine. Do not over-mix — vinegar+soda is doing the lifting.

5. 5

   Pour into tin. Bake at 180°C for 30–35 minutes. Cool fully.

6. 6

   Frosting: beat cream cheese, margarine, caster sugar and vanilla into the whipped cream until smooth and spreadable.

7. 7

   Slice the cake into 3 layers. Spread frosting between each layer. Crumb-coat. Apply a final smooth coat of frosting.

8. 8

   Save a tablespoon of cake crumbs (or trim some from the top) and shower the sides for the classic red-velvet finish.