The Valentine Week is upon us, and this versatile recipe is your way to go.

It can be made as a layered cake, cupcakes, cake pops or as a BOMB aka Dome shaped. You could use beetroot puree instead of the red color for a healthier option, however, today I am using the best available food coloring, which is shipped from the UK. I hope you have fun making this recipe just like how I did. Happy Baking!

Ingredients 

 For the Cake

• 250 grams plain flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (sifted)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 100 grams soft unsalted butter
• 200 grams caster sugar
• 1 heaped tablespoon Christmas-red paste food coloring
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 175 milliliters buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp red wine

For the Frosting

• 500 grams icing sugar
• 125 grams cream cheese
• 125 grams soft unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
• 2 tbsp white chocolate chips

 

Method

For the cake

• Preheat the oven to 170°C and line 2 flat trays with baking paper and cooking spray.
• Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
• In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar, beating well, and when you have a soft, pale mixture beat in the food coloring – yes all of it – and the vanilla.
• Add 1 spoonful of the dried ingredients, then 1 egg, followed by some more dried ingredients, then the other egg, followed by the rest of the dried ingredients.
• Finally, beat in the buttermilk and the vinegar and divide this in the two lined trays and spread evenly.
• Bake for about 13-14 mins until cooked all the way through and has a light spring to the touch. Cool on a wire rack.

For the Frosting

• Put the icing sugar into a processor and whizz to remove lumps.
• Add the cream cheese and butter and process to mix. Pour in the cider vinegar (or lemon juice) and process again to make a smooth icing.

Assemble the Bomb

• Line a medium sized glass bowl with cling film, line the bowl with extra cling film as this will make it easier to come out later.
• Slice the cake in strips and start lining the bowl with it. Smash the cake with your finger to evenly cover and line the bowl with cake. Sprinkle over some red wine to keep the cake moist.
• Spoon in the frosting mixture and sprinkle the white chocolate chips and cover the top with the other sheet of cake.
• Slice out the extra cake and gently press the cake down with your hands. Fold over the excess cling film thoroughly. Place a few plates on top of the bowl and set in the fridge for 3 hours to firm up.
• Take out and unfold the cling film. Turn out onto a cake and remove the bowl, slowly remove the cling film and dust the top with icing sugar.
• Serve chilled. Enjoy!

P.S. You can watch out for more on my Instagram here.