Name: Red Velvet Traybake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 225 g Butter or baking spread (softened, unsalted); 225 g Caster sugar; 3 Eggs (large); 125 ml Buttermilk; 225 g Self raising flour; 2 tbsp Cocoa powder; 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda; Red food colouring (I use Sugarflair Red Extra); 135 g Butter (softened, unsalted); 135 g Icing sugar; 270 g Full fat cream cheese (I use Philadelphia); 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract; Sprinkles (optional)

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I've noticed that people either love red velvet, or they're not quite sure what all the fuss is about. Well I'm here to convert the unsure crowd! It's not just a red coloured cake let me tell you! Because it's made with buttermilk you get an extra moist and very light cake - what's not to like about that! Then there's a hint of chocolate and the sweet tang of the cream cheese frosting. I'm actually salivating as I write this!! If you're still unsure, then get baking this Red Velvet Traybake. It has a lovely light sponge that melts in the mouth, and it's smothered in totally droolworthy cream cheese frosting! This would be a great bake sale recipe or Valentine's Day treat for your loved ones.

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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter, buttermilk and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
I used unsalted butter for the buttercream, for the cake I used a baking spread.
You will need to use a professional grade gel food colouring to get the same shade of red that you can see in my photos. Brands I recommend are Pro Gel, Sugarflair and Colour Mill.
I prefer to use Philadelphia full fat cream cheese for the buttercream as it gives me the best results.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make a Red Velvet Traybake

To make the sponge, mix butter and sugar together until fluffy. Then whisk in eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract and red food colouring. Finally add self raising flour, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder.

Pour the mixture into a traybake tin and bake it for 25 minutes.

To make the cream cheese frosting mix butter and icing sugar together, then mix in cream cheese and vanilla extract. You can decorate the Red Velvet Traybake with some heart shaped sprinkes, leave it plain or decorate with sprinkles of your choice.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

What is the best food colouring to use?

To get a bright red shade that remains strong after the traybake is baked you need to use a professional grade gel food colouring. You can buy these easily from many online shops, including amazon. I used the brand Pro Gel for this traybake, I also regularly use the brand Sugarflair.

What if you can't get hold of buttermilk?

If you can't hold of buttermilk, you can use the same amount of milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice added, leave it for a few minutes until it goes lumpy then it's ready to use!

Can you make the traybake with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 2 teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

How long does the Red Velvet Traybake last for and can you freeze it?

The cake will keep in an airtight container for 3 days in the fridge. You can freeze the sponges either alone, or decorated. Once the sponges are fully cool, wrap them well with cling film or put them in an airtight container with some baking paper between them. You can freeze the frosting on it’s own in a tub, or you can decorate the cake and freeze it fully assembled. To do this and avoid damage to the decoration, freeze it either in an airtight container. Or let it freeze solid on a cake board or plate, then wrap in cling film. Remove the cling film when you take it out to defrost it, if you don’t it could damage the decoration as it defrosts and softens. You can also freeze slices of the cake, again well wrapped in cling film or in airtight containers.

Can this recipe be made gluten or dairy free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add additional baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 2 teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ½ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread for the cake and buttercream. You can make dairy free buttermilk by adding 1 tbsp lemon juice (or cider vinegar) to dairy free milk. You will also need to use dairy free cream cheese for the buttercream. Please check the labels of everything you use if you are serving this cake to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

More tips for making the Red Velvet Traybake:

I use a 12" x 9" traybake tin for all of my traybake recipes, I would recommend getting one if you can. If you're using a smaller tin remember that it will take longer to bake.
Make sure to store the traybake in the fridge once it's been frosted.

Troubleshooting

My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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