Raspberry Red Velvet

I really didn't like the idea of so much food colouring in my cake, so for ages I've been meaning to come up with an alternative to the more traditional red velvet. this one seems to tick all the boxes.

165 g softened butter

280 g caster sugar

3 Eggs

280 g S/R flour

50 g cocoa powder

150 ml buttermilk

80 g full fat cream cheese

150g pureed raspberries 
1/4 tsp red food gel

Preheat the oven to @ 180

1. Mix together the caster sugar and butter until light and fluffy

2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in between each egg

3. Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into a bowl

4. Add half to the egg and sugar mixture, fold in

5. Mix together the buttermilk, food gel raspberry puree and cream cheese

6. Add half of buttermilk & cream cheese into the cake batter, fold in

7. Repeat the process with both flour and buttermilk

8. Spoon into 2x 8 inch prepared sandwich tins

9. Cook for about 30-40 mins, leave to cool for 10  mins before turning out onto a wire rack. 

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

50g unsalted softened butter

150g cream cheese

200g icing sugar 

Mix together the icing sugar and butter until soft and creamy, then mix in the cream cheese, sandwich the cooled cakes together with half of the frosting adding 150g of fresh raspberries if desired, then spread the remaining frosting over the top.

A very moist and much redder sponge in the flesh