Red velvet swirl cake

Red velvet swirl cake

I’ve been playing around with a few basic cake recipes lately, so wanted to have a go at a swirl cake.

You can use two types of cake batter e.g. chocolate and vanilla, or in a case like this one add a different texture like cream cheese.

I always top red velvet cakes with cream cheese icing, so it made sense to try the technique on a red velvet cake.

A friend from work makes amazing cakes and recommended this recipe by Marian Keyes.

There are lots of other recipes around such as Eric Lanlard’s cream cheese brownie and Anna Olsen’s pumpkin swirl cheesecake squares.

The technique itself is quite simple and just involves cutting the two layers together with a metal skewer or a bread knife.

Red velvet swirl cake

Red velvet swirl cake

It’s hard to know how far to go before it just becomes a mess but I think I got this one right.

Red Velvet Cupcake Swirl (Marian Keyes, Saved by Cake)

• 110g butter, melted
• 170g caster sugar + 40g caster sugar for cream cheese layer
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + half teaspoon vanilla extract for cream cheese layer
• 40g cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon red food colouring
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 3 eggs
• 160g self-raising flour
• 200g cream cheese, softened

Preheat oven to 180C and line cake tin with baking paper.

Cream cheese layer

1. Beat together the cream cheese, 1 egg, 40g caster sugar and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract in a bowl, and place to one side.

Red velvet mixture

1. Beat melted butter and sugar together.
2. Add the following in this exact order, mixing well between each addition

• vanilla extract
• cocoa powder
• salt
• food colouring
• vinegar

1. In a separate bowl, beat eggs with a fork and then add to mixture

1. Sieve in flour and gently fold through until just combined

1. Spread red velvet mixture into cake tin (it will be very thick) and then dollop cream cheese layer across the top. Try and keep the cream cheese away from the edges of the tin, or it will stick to the sides and be annoying to cut. Give a quick swirl with a butter knife to bring the two mixtures together, but don’t overdo it.
2. Bake for 25-30min at 180 degrees – cake is done when it springs back in the centre. Allow to cool in tin.

NOTE – this makes either 12 cupcakes, or one smallish cake (27 x 17cm small slice pan).