Go Back Email Link

Red velvet cake with white chocolate ganache frosting

Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Servings 8 slices

Ingredients
  

For the cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tbsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • pinch salt
  • 1.5 cups castor sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp warm water
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • red food colouring*
  • 1 tbsp vinegar

For the white chocolate ganache frosting

  • 100 g white chocolate
  • 200 g whipping cream

Instructions
 

For the cake

  • Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 3 8-inch cake tins with parchment paper and grease with butter
  • In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt.  
  • Give the dry ingredients a light whisk.
  • Add the sugar, eggs, buttermilk, warm water, oil, vanilla essence and red food colouring to the dry ingredients.
  • Using a hand mixer, or a whisker, mix together all ingredients, until well combined.
  • Add vinegar in the last step and combine well.
  • Divide and pour the batter evenly in the 3 cake tins.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, and check by seeing if a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
  • Let the cakes cool in the cake tins for 10 minutes. Demould. Then let them cool completely at room temperature (at least 30 minutes) before frosting. 

For the frosting

  • Chop the white chocolate roughly and add it in a large bowl.
  • Place the whipping cream on a saucepan, and heat until you see bubbles. (don't boil!)
  • As soon as you see bubbles forming, turn off the heat, and pour the cream over the chopped chocolates.
  • Cover the bowl for 1 minute.
  • After 1 minute, mix together the chocolate and cream, until smooth*
  • Let it cool completely at room temperature, until it thickens. 
  • Before whipping the ganache, put the bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes. 
  • Using a hand mixer, whip the ganache, using it has a frosting consistency and almost doubles in volume. This will take 5-7 minutes. 

For assembling

  • Slice the top of the cakes to get even layers*
  • Put the frosting in a piping bag, and pipe a layer of frosting between each layer. 
  • Finish with a crumb coat, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  • Apply another layer of frosting, and using a bench scraper, even out the frosting. 

Notes

*you can either use gel food colouring or food powder colours. I used a red food powder colour, and added 1/4 tsp, since it gives a strong colour in the smallest amount. Add the food colouring according to the intensity of your food colouring.
*if you wish to make just the cake, without any frosting, half the recipe. 
*buttermilk here was made by adding 1/2 cup for curd with 1/4 cup milk. If you do not have these ingredients on hand, add 1 tbsp vinegar to 3/4 cup milk, and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.