Silky smooth
Michelle Phetlhe | Monday July 12, 2021 15:02
After the SSK day long weekend, I wanted to challenge myself with a Red Velvet Cake, firstly, because Caroline and I recently had a conversation about the most amazing Red Velvet slices we had three or four years ago (Yes we still talk about it, was that good). Secondly, it’s my husbands favourite cake and well…I wanted to make it for him.
I also have a theory that learning how to create our favourite foods at home is a way of saving on spending.
I found a recipe I was comfortable with. I needed more Bokomo cake flour and eggs and asked husbae to bring some back from the store. I debated whether to ask him for buttermilk as well, but inevitably I substituted buttermilk with madila fresh from the farm (because ke family e le one.. right?) I never did say Thank you to my sister friend Rati for the hook up. Thank You. My madila was quite strong and so my husband whose favourite cake it is, and also has a heightened sense of taste and smell picked up on the distinct flavour ya madila. Feeling defeated I sought after buttermilk the following day and gave the cake another go. I went and baked it at my father’s place as I had some things to get done there and when I asked my dad if he ate Red Velvet Cake, he looked at me and asked...o raya the real one? I couldn’t help but chuckle because he is one of my trusted taste testers.
After making him my new fish curry as per his request after seeing the image I recently shared, he had a slice of RV with some coffee and gave it a 10/10. I served my husband a big slice later that evening and he said, “This is it right here”! Give it a try and let us know how it went on our FB page Chellzkitchen.
Some lady online had this to say about red velvet and I quote: “Most people think red velvet refers to the colour of the cake but its not about the cake being red in colour, it’s about the texture and how it feels in your mouth…like velvet”. LOL, You learn something new everyday. Nna re ijela hela.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cups Bokomo white pure sugar
1 tablespoon Nestlé cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups Bokomo cake flour
1-2 tablespoon red food colouring
Frosting
250g cream cheese, nearly at room temperature
1/8 cup unsalted butter, nearly at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180°C. Coat two round pans with nonstick spray or grease with butter and dust with flour. Cut parchment rounds to fit in the bottom of the pans. Place the parchment rounds in the pans and coat again with nonstick spray.
Or grease set aside. In the bowl of whisk attachment add the oil, eggs, buttermilk, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until combined. Add in the sugar and mix until incorporated.
Next add the cocoa powder, salt and baking soda, mixing on medium speed for 30 seconds, or until no lumps remain in the cocoa powder. Turn mixer to low and add in the flour and red food coloring.
Mix until smooth, 30 seconds – 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Divide the batter equally into the 2 prepared pans. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Frost as desired.