Description
This Red Velvet Drip Cake is a stunning layered dessert featuring moist cocoa-infused red velvet sponge cakes layered with a rich cream cheese frosting. Finished with a smooth buttercream exterior and dramatic red white-chocolate drip, it's perfect for celebrations and impresses with its vibrant color and decadent flavors.
Ingredients
Cake
- 250 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 600 g caster sugar
- 6 medium eggs
- 60 g cocoa powder
- 1-2 tsp red extra food colouring
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 500 ml buttermilk
- 600 g plain flour
- 1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 3 tsp white wine vinegar
Filling
- 200 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 200 g icing sugar
- 400 g full fat soft cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Buttercream
- 250 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 500 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- White food colouring (optional)
Drip
- 120 g white chocolate
- 40 ml double cream
- Red food colouring (extra strong)
Decoration
- Leftover cake crumbs
Instructions
- Prepare cake tins: Preheat your oven to 170ºC (150ºC fan) and line two deep 8-inch cake tins with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Make the cake batter: In a large bowl, beat the room temperature unsalted butter with caster sugar until fully combined and creamy. Add eggs, red food colouring, and vanilla extract, then beat again thoroughly.
- Add dry and wet ingredients: Sift in cocoa powder and plain flour. Add buttermilk, bicarbonate of soda, and white wine vinegar to the mixture. Mix well until the batter is smooth and even.
- Bake the cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins and bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and layer: Allow the cakes to cool completely in their tins. Once cooled, carefully slice each cake horizontally to create four layers total. Level the tops if needed, reserving the trimmed cake crumbs for decoration.
- Make the filling: In a bowl, beat unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add icing sugar and continue beating. Mix in full-fat soft cheese until the frosting is thick and creamy, then stir through vanilla extract.
- Assemble the cake: Spread cream cheese frosting between each cake layer to stack them evenly. Use leftover frosting for a thin crumb coat around the assembled cake. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Prepare buttercream: Beat the remaining unsalted butter until smooth. Add icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat again until fluffy. Optionally, add white food colouring for a bright finish.
- Frost the cake: Spread the buttercream evenly around the chilled cake sides and top. Use a large metal scraper to smooth the surface. Chill again for 30 minutes to set the buttercream.
- Prepare the drip: Melt white chocolate and double cream together in a microwave-safe jug until smooth. Stir in strong red food colouring until you achieve a vibrant red hue.
- Drip the cake: Transfer the red chocolate ganache to a piping bag, snip off the tip, and carefully drip it around the edges of the cake allowing it to cascade down the sides. Fill the top surface with the remaining ganache.
- Decorate: Pipe any spare buttercream in decorative swirls on the cake top and sprinkle with reserved cake crumbs for texture and visual appeal.
Notes
- For the buttermilk, you can substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 500 ml milk and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes before use.
- Make sure all butter and eggs are at room temperature before mixing for best results.
- Use gel or extra concentrated food colouring for the brightest red color.
- Allow cakes to cool completely before slicing and frosting to avoid melting the frosting.
- Chilling between frosting steps helps create neat, clean cake layers and finish.
