FREAKY FINGER RED VELVET CAKE
For the red velvet cake:
175g soft butter, plus extra for greasing
225g white caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature 1 tbsp red food colouring paste 200g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
150g pot low-fat plain yoghurt, loosened with 2 tbsp milk
For the fingers and frosting:
3 x 114g boxes white chocolate fingers
140g icing sugar
2 tsp milk
Small blob of red food colouring paste
100g soft butter
300g full-fat cream cheese, fridge cold
Zest of 1 orange, optional
1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas Mark 4. For the cake, grease 2 x 20cm sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment. Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg, until fluffy and light. Beat in the colouring.
2 Mix the dry ingredients for the cake, and sift half on to the creamed mix. Fold in with a spatula, followed by half of the thinned yoghurt. Repeat, then spoon the smooth batter into the tins, and level.
3 Bake for 25 mins or until risen and springy when pressed lightly in the centre. Cool for 10 mins, then turn out on to a wire rack and cool completely.
4 For the fingers, line a baking tray with parchment. Cut one end from each chocolate finger. Mix 50g icing sugar, the milk and a small blob of colouring to make a thick, red icing. The icing needs to be thick to stay put on the finger – add a little more sugar if you need to. Dip the severed biscuit ends into the icing, let the excess drip off, then paint a red fingernail on the other end, using a small paintbrush. Leave to dry on the parchment. 5
For the frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the butter until very smooth, then beat in the cream cheese and the zest (if using). Sift in the remaining icing sugar, then fold it into the cheese mixture using a spatula until smooth. Don’t overbeat. Chill until needed.
6 Sandwich and cover with the frosting – you will only need a thin layer on the sides of the cake to stick on the fingers. Stand the severed fingers around the cake, pressing them lightly into the frosting. You’ll have a few left over to put on the top. Keep the cake in the fridge but enjoy it at room temperature.