Red velvet cake

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• Vegetable oil (plus extra for the tins)300 ml
• Plain flour500 g
• Cocoa powder2 tbsp
• Baking powder4 tsp
• Bicarbonate of soda2 tsp
• Light brown sugar560 g
• Fine salt1 tsp
• Buttermilk400 ml
• Vanilla extract (for the sponge)4 tsp
• Red food colouring gel or paste30 ml
• Large eggs4
• Salted butterAt room temperature250 g
• Icing sugar750 g
• Soft cheeseFull-fat350 g
• Vanilla extract (for the icing)1 tsp

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Oil two 20 cm cake tins and line the bases and sides with baking parchment, taking the paper at least 5 cm up the sides if the tins are shallow.

2. 2

   Mix half of the flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar in a bowl, rubbing any sugar lumps out between your fingers.

3. 3

   In a jug, combine half of the buttermilk, oil, vanilla and food colouring with 100 ml water, then whisk in 2 eggs until smooth. Pour into the dry mixture and whisk until combined. The batter should be vivid red and will deepen slightly in the oven; add a little extra colouring if it looks dull. Share it between the two tins. Bake for 25-30 mins, until risen and a skewer pushed into the middle comes out clean. Let them sit in their tins for 10 mins, before turning out, peel off the parchment and cool on a wire rack.

4. 4

   Repeat the tin preparation, dry mix, wet mix and baking with the remaining ingredients to end up with four sponges. Wrapped in cling film they keep for up to 3 days and stay moist, or you can wrap and freeze them for up to 2 months.

5. 5

   For the icing, tip the butter into a large mixing bowl and sieve in half of the icing sugar. Mash roughly with a spatula, then beat with an electric whisk until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and soft cheese, then sieve over the rest of the icing sugar, mash again and beat once more.

6. 6

   To assemble, use a dab of icing to stick one sponge to a stand or board. Stack the other sponges on top using about half of the icing, spreading a generous layer between each. Pile the rest of the icing on top, then take a palette knife to coax it down over the sides until the whole cake is covered. Wipe the plate clean with kitchen paper. Leftovers keep for up to 2 days in the fridge; let the cake come back to room temperature for about an hour before serving.