Red Velvet Layer Cake

• 10 servings
• 30 mnutes to cook, 30 minutes to prepare

Instructions

A classic celebration cake that’s very impressive yet easy to make – we’d love to see your take on it as the image above ^ ! Join in with our #GBBO 2017 social media competition and it could be you – click here for details.

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C (fan)/350°F/gas mark 4.
2. Grease and line with baking paper three 18cm round loose bottomed cake tins.
3. Cream together the margarine, caster sugar and vanilla extract.
4. Beat together the eggs and milk in a measuring jug. Slowly add to the creamed mix, beating after each addition to avoid the mixture curdling.
5. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a bowl. Fold the flour and cocoa mix into the creamed mix.
6. Add the red food colouring and mix well.
7. Divide the mix evenly between the prepared tins, you can weigh the mix or do this by eye. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.
8. Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing the cakes from the tins and placing on a cooling rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting

1. Place the cream cheese and butter into a bowl. Beat until smooth. Add the icing sugar and lemon zest, beat well to form a smooth icing. 

To decorate

1. Place one cake layer onto a cake stand. Spread with 1/3 of the frosting. Arrange half of the raspberries around the edge and centre of the cake. Top with the next layer of cake and spread with a second 1/3 of frosting. Reserve a handful of raspberries to decorate the top before arranging the remaining raspberries around the edge and centre of the cake.
2. Top with the final cake layer and spread with the remaining frosting.
3. Decorate the top of the cake with the reserved raspberries and chopped pistachio nuts.