Bloody Red Velvet Cake

Give your halloween party the scariest centerpiece with this Bloody Red Velvet Cake. Decadent sponges covered in classic cream cheese frosting make this cake too tempting to be afraid of.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 25 - 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 16

Special Equipment: stand or hand mixer and 3 x 6in cake tins.

Ingredients:

310g self raising Flour

8g cocoa powder

115g butter

200g sugar

2 eggs

200g sunflower oil

3 tablespoons milk or Buttermilk

11g vanilla extract

5g red food colouring

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

115g unsalted Butter

200g cream Cheese

1 vanilla extract optional

375g icing sugar

¼ salt optional

Directions:

Sponge:

1. Preheat your oven to 180C

2. Mix together the flour, cocoa and bicarbonate soda into a bowl then put aside

3. Combine butter and sugar in a new clean mixing bowl

4. Add eggs one at a time. Mixing until fully incorporated each time.

5. Mix in the oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract

6. Grab your dry ingredients and sieve into the bowl then mix

7. Add to cake tins and bake for 25-30 mins

8. Check with a skewer to see if cakes are ready; if it comes out gooey it needs more time in the oven.

Cream Cheese Icing:

1. Place the butter in the mixer

2. Add the cream cheese and combine till mixture is incorporated (~3 minutes).

3. Gradually add icing sugar using your spatula mix it in.

4. Once you’ve added all your icing sugar, turn your electric mixer to medium speed and mix until the cream cheese icing thickens.

5. Add red food colouring to your Icing to make it nice and bloody!

Assembly:

1. Grab your cake board place it on your turntable

2. Put a spoon full of buttercream on the bottom on your board to stop your cake from sliding so you're ready to start stacking.

3. Place one sponge in the middle board and add in your bloody cream cheese filling then stack the second layer. Repeat for the third layer.

4. Now coat the cake in your cream cheese icing and place it in the fridge to firm up.

5. Add knife slices around your cake to give it a scary bloody effect or melt down some candy melts to make dangerous shards.

Tips:

1. Don't overmix your batter or your cake will be dry and tough.

2. Make sure your butter and cream cheese are completely smooth before adding in the icing sugar. No one wants a lumpy icing!

3. For bold decorations, get some candy melts and make them into shards for a bit of extra danger.