RASPBERRY AND LEMON RED VELVET CAKE

I've been asked by a friend to create a recipe for a charity bake with raspberries in, and as I love lemon, I've added that too....

  

Raspberry and Lemon Red Velvet Cake

Serves 10-12

160g (5¾oz) unsalted butter, softened

280g (10oz) caster sugar

3 large eggs

280g (10oz) self-raising flour

75g (2¾oz) cocoa powder

125ml (4fl oz) lemon full fat yoghurt

1tsp white wine vinegar

¼tsp red gel food coloring 

75g (2¾oz) raspberries, puréed and sieved

75g (2¾oz) full-fat cream cheese

 

For the frosting

100g (3½oz) butter, softened

200g (7oz) icing sugar

50g (1¾oz) full-fat cream cheese

150g (5½oz) raspberries

Zest of 1 lemon

For the filling

1/2 jar good quality lemon curd

 

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/ gas 4 and grease 2 x 20cm (8in) sandwich tins, then line them with baking parchment.

In the bowl of a freestanding mixer, or using an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into a separate bowl, add half to the cake batter and gently fold in using a large metal spoon or rubber spatula.

Mix together the lemon yoghurt, vinegar, food coloring, raspberry purée and cream cheese.

Add half of this mixture to the batter and gently fold in. Repeat the process with the remaining dry and wet ingredients until combined.

Divide the batter between the prepared sandwich tins and level with a palette knife.

Cook on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 25 - 35 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle.

Leave Raspberry red velvet cakes to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before carefully turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, cream together the butter and icing sugar in a freestanding mixer or with a hand-held electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Beat in the cream cheese until the mix is smooth and creamy.

Spread half the frosting on the first cake, then the lemon curd, then sprinkle with the raspberries and top with the remaining cake.

 Spread over the rest of the frosting and smooth with a palette knife.

 Decorate with raspberries and shavings of red velvet sponge cake or chocolate, if liked.

Enjoy xx