Cake week returns to the Great British Bake Off this week, with biscuits having dominated last week’s new series premiere. While contestants will be faced with a signature challenge, alongside a complicated technical, Waitrose has shared a selection of its favourite cake recipes to inspire bakers across the country.
A modern classic, red velvet cake is thought to have originated during the Victorian era. During this time, velvet cakes were considered an upmarket dessert, named after the cake’s soft consistency. Most modern recipes use red food colouring instead of typical anthocyanin-rich cocoa, as is the case with Waitrose’s recipe, also favouring whipped butter cream in place of cream cheese.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50-60 minutes
Total time: 70-80 minutes
Ingredients
Serves eight to ten
200g Anchor Butter
200g Waitrose Light Brown Soft Sugar
1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
4 medium British Blacktail Free Range Eggs
200g self-raising flour
2 x 10g tubes Dr Oetker Gel Food Colour, Bright Red
1 tbsp cocoa
For the filling
150g Anchor Butter
1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
200g Waitrose Light Brown Soft Sugar
1 tbsp freeze-dried raspberries
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C/ gas mark 3. Grease and base line an 18cm round cake tin.
Whisk the butter, sugar and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until combined (add a little of the flour if it looks curdled). Mix in the red food colour. Fold in the flour and cocoa.
Spoon into the cake tin and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the cake. Allow to cool.
To make the filling, whisk the butter, vanilla extract and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Cut the cake into 3 even-sized horizontal rounds. Spread ⅓ of the butter icing over 1 slice of cake, and then lay another slice on top. Spread this with another ⅓ of the icing and top with final slice. Spread with the remaining icing and sprinkle over the dried raspberries.
Recipe and image courtesy of Waitrose & Partners.
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Ingredients
- 200 g Anchor Butter
- 200 g Waitrose Light Brown Soft Sugar
- 1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
- 4 Medium British Blacktail Free Range Eggs
- 200 g Self-raising flour
- 2 10g tubes Dr Oetker Gel Food Colour, Bright Red
- 1 tbsp Cocoa
For the filling
- 150 g Anchor Butter
- 1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
- 200 g Waitrose Light Brown Soft Sugar
- 1 tbsp Freeze-dried raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/ gas mark 3. Grease and base line an 18cm round cake tin.
- Whisk the butter, sugar and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until combined (add a little of the flour if it looks curdled). Mix in the red food colour. Fold in the flour and cocoa.
- Spoon into the cake tin and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the cake. Allow to cool.
- To make the filling, whisk the butter, vanilla extract and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Cut the cake into 3 even-sized horizontal rounds. Spread ⅓ of the butter icing over 1 slice of cake, and then lay another slice on top. Spread this with another ⅓ of the icing and top with final slice. Spread with the remaining icing and sprinkle over the dried raspberries.
