Ingredients
- 225g plain flour
- 20g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 175ml buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp red food colouring
- 150g unsalted butter
- 225g castor sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing
- 300g cream cheese
- 75g unsalted butter
- 1tsp vanilla extract
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
- Grease two 20cm cake tins and line the bases with baking paper.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, and baking powder
- In a bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and food colouring.
- Cream the butter and caster sugar together in a mixer
- Lightly beat the eggs and vanilla together
- Gradually add the eggs to the creamed mixture, mixing well
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl in batches, alternating with the red buttermilk, mixing until well combined.
- Divide between the prepared tins and bake for 20–25 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for about 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave until completely cold.
- To make the icing, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth, then add the vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread the top with some of the icing mixture.
- Top with the second cake layer and lightly press together.
- Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining icing
