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This Red Velvet Traybake Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a classic. It is basically just a chocolate cake but the red colour makes it so much more special. As does the killer cream cheese frosting. This is a super easy recipe and comes together pretty quickly.
Let the cake cool before adding the frosting, and you may possibly want to keep it chilled until serving! That said, it is a great cake to make ahead for a small occasion, or just to have as a mid-week treat! I think cakes get thought of too highly in terms of effort. Cakes should be easy, and made far more frequently than just birthdays!
This doesn’t require much in terms of equipment, ingredients or skill, so is great to get the whole family involved in. This is also one of those cakes that is so appreciated if you’re turning up somewhere, or just to take to work! I think there’s something nice about having a cake recipe to hand that you can pull together in no time.
This makes an 8″ square cake (traybake), but feel free to double the recipe for a 9×13″ tin! For me, this sort of cake is perfect as a “snacking cake”. As in, cut a piece whenever you’re feeling snacky! That said, it does make a gorgeous birthday cake for any lemon lovers in your life!
Tips for the best Red Velvet Traybake Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Food colour: Use a gel colouring. The liquid colour isn’t as strong, especially in the UK!
- Cocoa Powder: A good quality cocoa powder will go a long way here, so it can be worth investing in. That said, the cheap stuff is still totally fine!
- White Wine Vinegar: Buttermilk isn’t commonly available in the UK which is why I’ve used milk and vinegar. The acid is needed to contribute to the red colour and rise!
- Cream Cheese: Non-negotiable, use full fat. The light stuff just won’t thicken.
For this Red Velvet Traybake Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, I use a basic 8′ square pan (I like this one). I also recommend a good stand mixer or high speed mixer (like this one). If you’re after more traybake recipes, check out this Lemon and Orange Drizzle Cake or this Biscoff Cake. For videos, check my Instagram.
Red Velvet Traybake Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 60 g Butter Softened
- 150 g Granulated Sugar
- 1 Medium Egg
- 125 ml Milk
- 2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar or similar vinegar
- 135 ml Vegetable Oil
- 1 tbsp Red Food Colour Gel
- 200 g Plain Flour
- 1 tbsp Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
For the Frosting
- 125 g Full Fat Cream Cheese
- 65 g Butter
- 300 g Icing Sugar
- Sprinkles Optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 5. Line an 8" square tin.
- Combine the milk and white wine vinegar in a small jug and set aside (essentially creating buttermilk).
- In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar on medium/high for about 3-5 minutes, until fully "creamed".
- Add the egg, milk/vinegar mixture, vegetable oil and red food colouring. Mix again.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda and fold gently until all combined. Take care not to overmix (it should be fairly smooth but a few small lumps is fine!). Pour the cake batter into the lined tin and bake 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.
- Once cool, make the frosting. Combine the butter and cream cheese using an electric mixer on high. Add in half the icing sugar, combine, then add the remaining half. At this stage the icing should look smooth and creamy! Feel free to add more icing sugar if you want it thicker.
- Spread the icing over the cake, add sprinkles if you like, slice and serve!
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