Red Velvet Cake with Berries, Marscapone Cream and Ganache

Our indestructible Sharon Brink, baker extraordinaire hit very close to home with this beautiful cake. Everyone is well aware of my love for a proper Red Velvet Cake. I had one at our wedding and later at the Little One's Christening. I am always on the lookout for a proper tasty recipe and Sharon adopted this one from The Cake Boss' very own recipe. What adds to this cake is the beautiful decoration, making it look like a professional baker prepared this just for you!

Please don't get a fright when having a look at the steps, it may seem daunting but it is really easy. And you know what, if you have a reliable box cake, then use that and decorate as instructed! Just try it. And according to Sharon if you have done it once, it is even easier the next time!

What you need -

For cakes:

• 8 tbsps unsalted butter (at room temperature)

• 2 cups sugar (plain or castor)

• 2 tbsps of good quality cocoa powder

• 4 tsps red food colouring gel (super red works best and you can add as much as you prefer)

• 3 cups sifted cake flour

• 1 1/4 tsps salt

• 1 1/4 tsps vanilla extract / essence

• 1 1/4 tsps bicarbonate of soda

• 1 1/4 tsps distilled white vinegar

• 3 extra-large eggs (at room temperature)

• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk (at room temperature)

For marscapone cream:

• 200g marscapone

• 125ml beaten cream

• 80g sifted icing sugar

• Vanilla (amount to your taste)

For the ganache:

• 50ml cream

• 100g chocolate

What to do -

The cakes:

1. Sift flour, cocoa, and salt into a bowl.
2. In stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter at low speed until creamy. Add sugar; blend on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each. Scrape bowl; add food colouring and vanilla.
4. On low speed, beat in flour mixture in thirds, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
5. In small bowl, stir together vinegar and baking soda. Stir into batter.
6. Divide batter between prepared pans; spread evenly. Grease 2 round cake tins and line with wax paper.
7. Bake at 180 degrees in the middle of the oven until a cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges and turn layers out onto racks. Remove paper and flip cakes; cool completely. Freeze for 30 minutes.

 

To make the mascarpone cream:

1. To make the marscapone cream beat the cream to fairly thick and add the marscapone and beat together.
2. Add the sifted icing sugar and vanilla. If the cream is too thick, add more cream. The mixture must be thick enough to spread.

 

Sharon makes 3 different ganaches' one with milk chocolate, one with white chocolate and one with dark chocolate, all as follows:

1. Heat the cream and remove from the stove.
2. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate has melted.
3. You can refrigerate to set it a bit.

 

Assembling the cake:

1. To assemble the cake, cut layers in half horizontally with a serrated knife.
2. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a serving plate; spread with marscapone cream.
3. Layer your choice of berries. She used raspberries, gooseberries and strawberries.
4. Drizzle a bit of each ganache over it. Repeat twice.
5. Add last layer, top side up. You can put the left over marscapone on top but she used it all inside the layers and simply pour ganache over the top and then place various berries on top and then drizzle more ganache.
6. Enjoy!

Her tip: use cherries with the stalks as it adds to the overall look.

Go and make this beauty for yourself!