After receiving the recipe from her neighbour, my mom and I have experimented and perfected this recipe, and is often used as a birthday gift or delectable afternoon tea treat.

Red Velvet Cake

By Ramola Makan
Published: November 20, 2012
Given to my mother by her neighbour when I was still in school, now it has been perfected over the years.
Prep time: 15 min
Baking time: 35 min. for double layer cake or 15 minutes for cup cakes
Total time: 50 min. for double layer cake or 30 minutes for cup cakes
Yield: 1 cake or 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
500ml cake flour
5ml each of baking powder, bicarbonate of Soda and Salt
50ml of cocoa powder
500ml sugar
250ml cooking oil
2 eggs
250ml of buttermilk
10ml of vanilla extract
5ml red food colouring
5ml of white balsamic vinegar
5ml instant coffee dissolved in 125ml of water OR 125ml prepared filtered coffee ...

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180 C.
2. In a large glass bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and keep aside
3. In a large glass bowl, beat together the sugar and cooking oil. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla essence and red food
4. colouring until thoroughly combined.
5. Add this mixture to the sugar and vegetable oil and mix well.
6. Lastly stir in the coffee and white balsamic vinegar.
7. Add the sifted dry ingredients a tablespoon at a time , gently mixing until just
8. combined.
9. Grease 2 spring foam /non stick cake pans with either butter or oil.
10. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans and shake to expel any excess
11. air bubbles.
12. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out
13. clean. (Do not over bake as cake will continue to cook as it cools.)
14. Allow to cool in pan before removing. Cool on a cooling rack.
15. If baking cupcakes, line a muffin pan with paper cup cakes cases. Half fill
16. these paper cup cake cases with batter and bake for 15- 18 minutes. (check
17. with a toothpick at 15minute mark)
18. Remove from oven and place the cup cakes on a cooling rack to cool.
19. When cake is completely cooled, ice the cake with homemade cream cheese
20. icing.

Homemade Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients
250g of cream cheese, full cream
500g icing sugar, sifted
100g of butter, softened
5ml of vanilla essence

Method

1. Beat butter
2. Gently add the cream cheese and vanilla essence and mix until well
3. combined
4. Slowly add the icing sugar. Mix until combined.
5. You may need a tablespoon or two of full cream milk to get a creamy
6. consistency
7. Mix until smooth and fluffy.
8. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl
9. Sandwich cake together with the cream cheese icing.
10. Spread the rest of cream cheese icing on the sides and top of cake
11. For cupcakes: place cream cheese icing in icing bag and ice cupcakes.

Click here for printable version of this recipe

I know that you will enjoy this recipe as much as I have over the years, and feel free to send photos of your own creations and share your story.

Go well and be safe

Ramola Makan