TURquoise Velvet Cake

The first time i saw a red velvet cake was on Masterchef australia. In one of the challenges the contestants were supposed to re creat Nigella Lawson’s red velvet cup cake. I was so impressed by the red and white combination.
I was more fascinated with how this cake got its name, RED VELVET.It is a lil bit of chemistry that goes into this cake and the name:) and im not good at that. But will still try the explain.
This cake uses soda, vinegar ot buttermilk. When one of these two things (vinegar n buttermilk which are acidic) are mixed with soda they kind of bubble up and make the cake more airy, fluffy n moist and VELVETY. And hence the part VELVET in the name.And when the same acidic ingredients react with cocoa they bring out the redness in the cocoa. And hence RED.

Originally no colour was added to the cake. Just the reaction of cocoa n vinger or buttermilk wud give the red colour. Now a days red food colour is added to enhance the look of the cake.
So when we are anyways adding colour then why stick to just red,right?? Try what ever colour you like.

Ingredients
60g – unsalted margarine
60g – unsalted butter
300g- caster sugar
150g eggs – whisk lightly with fork
250g – all purpose flour
1 tsp -baking powder
15gms – cocoa powder
1 tsp – baking soda
240g fresh milk
5-10g blue colouring
1/2 tsp – apple cider

Method
Preheat oven to 175°c. Grease a 30x30x3 (i used 10×10″) baking sheet or pan and line the bottom with parchment. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl.

In a bowl mix milk, colour and vinegar together

Place butter and sugar in bowl and beat at medium speed until well-blended/sugar dissolved. With machine on low, add in eggs and flour mixture alternately and continue to whisk till well blended.. very slowly add in the milk mixture. Scrape down bowl and mix it just long enough to combine.

Pour batter onto the baking sheet. Place in oven and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 15 to 20 mins. Let cool in pans for a few minutes. Remove the cake from the pan by flipping it over and peel off the parchment. Trim of the sides if necessary and divide the cake into two. Cool completely.

Cream cheese icing:
Ingredients
450g – cream cheese (fresh fresh paneer)
5g vanilla essence
115g icing sugar – sifted
360g cold whipping cream

Method
In the bowl of your electric stand mixer or with a hand mixer, at medium speed beat the cream cheese until smooth. I blend my paneer in a mixer as hand blender doesnt blend the paneer to a ver smooth consistency.now transfer the smooth cream to a bowl. Add in the vanilla and sifted icing sugar and beat until smooth. Using the whisk attachment, gradually add in the heavy cream and whip at increasing speed until the frosting is thick enough to spread. Be careful not to overwhip or you’ll end up with butter.( i overwhipped once and ended up wit sweet butter :)) If necessary, add more sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency. Chill to thicken before using.

To assemble the cake.. Spread a thin layer of frosting in between two layers.. spread over the entire cake with a crumb coat* and freeze uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour. Repeat with a second crumb coat if necessary before frosting the final coating. If ur frosting is still a little runny.. do chill it for a little longer.

I have plated it up with mini meringues and chocolate shavings.

* Crumb coat: A thin layer of icing spread on the whole cake and frozen before doing the final icing. This step ensures that the crumbs on the cake are covered up well so that when you do the final icing you do not have crumbs coming out and sticking to the icing. The crum coat will ensure you have a smooth and clean finish.

Recipe adapted from http://www.bisousatoi.com/2011/09/blue-velvet-cake.html?m=1