Decadent dessert recipe: red velvet devil’s cake

June 30, 2015

Think of this as a red velvet cake crossed with a rich devil's food cake. The secret to the cake's moist crumb is nothing other than tomato juice. The acidity of the tomato ­balances the deep flavour of the chocolate.

Decadent dessert recipe: red velvet devil’s cake

Preparation time 25 minutes

Cooking time 22 minutes

Serves 12

Cake

  • 200 g (1 1/2 c) cake flour
  • 125 g (1/2 c) cocoa powder
  • 5 g (1 tsp) baking powder
  • 2 g (1/2 tsp) baking soda
  • 1 g (1/4 tsp) salt
  • 175 g (3/4 c) unsalted butter, softened
  • 300 g (1 1/2 c) sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
  • 5 ml (1 tsp) red food colouring
  • 250 ml (1 c) tomato juice

    Frosting

  • 175 g (3/4 c) unsalted butter, softened
  • 350 g (1 1/2 c) cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract
  • 400 g (3 c) confectioners' sugar
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Coat two round 23 centimetre (nine inch) cake pans with cooking spray then lightly dust with some flour.
  2. For cake, sift together twice, the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
  3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, two to three minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at time, scraping down the bowl in between. Beat in the vanilla and food ­colouring until well-combined.
  4. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the flour mixture and the tomato juice in three alternating additions until well-­combined. Divide the batter between the two baking pans.
  5. Bake on the centre rack of the oven until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, 22 to 25 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto the wire rack and cool completely, about one hour.
  6. Meanwhile, for frosting, combine the butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl. With an electric mixer, beat on high speed until smooth, one to two minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the vanilla and the confectioners' sugar until smooth.
  7. To assemble, place one cake layer, flat side up, on a platter. Spread 250 grams (one cup) of the frosting over the top of the cake. Top with the second cake layer, flat side down. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Cut into 12 wedges and serve.

Ingenious!

This easy cake can be made up to two days before serving if wrapped with plastic and stored in the refrigerator.

  • To keep the frosting from sticking, use a few toothpicks inserted into the top and sides of the cake to keep the plastic wrap away from the cake.
  • Let the cake stand for one hour to come to room temperature before serving.
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