Preparation Notes: plus cooling
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For the cake
- 250 g unsalted butter, softened
- 250 g caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp. red food colouring paste
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 284 ml tub buttermilk
- 2 tsp. cider vinegar
- 275 g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
- 40 g cocoa powder
For the icing
- 275 g unsalted butter, very soft
- 400 g full-fat cream cheese (we used Philadelphia) at room temperature
- 475 g icing sugar, sifted
- Red and white sugar sprinkles, optional
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Lightly grease a deep, round 20.5cm (8in) cake tin and line with baking parchment.
- Step 2
In a freestanding mixer or using a handheld electric whisk, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5min. Beat in the food colouring paste.
- Step 3
In a large jug, quickly beat together the vanilla, eggs, buttermilk and cider vinegar. Add the red butter mixture and beat until combined (don't worry if the mixture looks a little curdled). Sift over the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder and fold together using a large metal spoon.
- Step 4
Scrape into prepared tin, level surface and bake for 55-60min or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in tin for 10min, then remove from tin and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Step 5
For the icing, beat the butter in a freestanding mixer or with a handheld electric whisk until completely smooth. Next, beat in the room-temperature cream cheese. Sift over the icing sugar and beat (carefully, as there will be clouds of icing sugar otherwise) until fluffy and combined.
- Step 6
Cut cooled cake into three horizontal layers. Use some of the icing to sandwich the layers together, then spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Scatter over the sugar sprinkles, if using, and serve in slices.
Storage
To store Keep cake in the fridge for up to two days. Bring to room temperature and serve.
Per Serving:
- Calories: 836
- Fibre: 2 g
- Total carbs: 79 g
- Sugars: 62 g
- Total fat: 55 g
- Saturated fat: 34 g
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
