Red Velvet (aka. Waldorf-Astoria) Cake!

Red Velvet is (well to me) the MOST FAMOUS CAKE IN THE WORLD! -Next to the Sachertorte!
It's origin is known to be from the USA but there is no exact place known to be the birthplace of this magnificent creation,that is why there is 2 names in the blog title Red Velvet AND Waldorf-Astoria cake,as there is still a dispute from the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City,New York that THEY invented it!
Find out more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_velvet_cake.

Ingredients(For the Cake):

150g Butter or Margarine

150g Caster Sugar.

1 tsp Vanilla Extract.

3 Free Range Eggs.

50ml Buttermilk or Greek Yogurt.

2 tsp No Flavour Red Food Colouring (Such as Wilton or Americolor Brands).

150g Self-Raising Flour.

60g Cocoa Powder.

Ingredients(For the Cream Cheese Frosting):

100g Butter or Margarine.

200g Cream Cheese (I used Philidelphia)

500g Icing Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract.

Method:

1.) Preheat the oven to 170C(150C Fan Oven)/ Gas Mark 3/325F.

2. Grease and Line a DEEP 15cm (6 Inch) round cake tin.

3.) Beat the butter,sugar and vanilla extract together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.

4.) Add the eggs one at a time (If the mixture LOOKS curdled add a teaspoon of the measured flour.

5.) Mix the food colouring with the buttermilk or yogurt (whichever you are using), then beat this mixture into the butter mixture.

6.) Fold in the flour and cocoa powder,which has been sifted and mix until well combined.

7.) Pour into the prepared baking tin and bake for 30 minutes or until slightly golden on the edges and a metal skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

8.) When fully cooled (for about 2 hours) slice the cake into 3 equal layers,leave to cool for a further 30 minutes.

9.) Whilst the 3 layers are cooling make the frosting by creaming the butter and cream cheese together and slowly beating in the icing sugar a little at a time,then add the vanilla extract (if the mixture looks a bit too thick,add a teaspoon of milk).

10.) To assemble the Red Velvet cake, place one of the layers on the cake board and spread 1/4 of the frosting ontop,followed by another layer of cake and another 1/4 of the frosting and the final layer. With the left over 1/2 of the frosting,ice the top and sides of the cake. Decorate in any way you wish,i sprinkled with some chocolate shreds. 

11.) serves 12-15 people or 6-8 VERY HUNGRY people!

Here is what the cake should look like:

(Picture courtesy of Jake Molineux)

Enjoy!

As you can probably guess,BUTTERMILK was today's ingredient!

Thanks for reading my blog! ~Jake