Red Velvet Cake || Gluten and Dairy Free

Two recipes in a week? Absolutely mental. Someone check outside, I'm sure I just saw a pig fly past the window. All jokes aside, I wanted to get this Red Velvet Cake recipe put up quickly because I know my Auntie wants to make it and in my head this was easier than sending her the link I used as my starting point, and adding on the adjustments and substitutions I made!  Yes, I'm well aware this doesn't make sense. But on to the cake, the real reason we're all here. 

This cake is potentially the best gluten and dairy free cake I've ever made, and that's quite the statement to make. It's moist, it rises like a dream, it's decadent, it's everything you could possibly want wrapped up into one cake. Honestly, feed this to anyone and they'd never know it was allergen free (alas, not vegan. Damn you eggs, there's just nothing like you).

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cup rice flour (check the world food section for some bargains in this area)
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups dairy free butter eg Vitalite
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups lactofree milk, or dairy free milk of choice
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 28ml of red food colouring (liquid or gel)

• 1/3 cup dairy free butter
• 1 cup icing sugar
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Sprinkles to decorate

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 180C
2. Measure the eggs, butter, and sugar into the main bowl you will be using and mix until combined, the rice flour, xanthan gum, raising agents, and cocoa powder into a separate bowl and mix, and finally the milk and lemon juice into a jug and mix together (this is to make dairy free buttermilk. If you have no issues with lactose/dairy, feel free to substitute in 1 1/2 cups of real buttermilk)
3. Add the red food colouring into the egg mixture and stir until it becomes a pretty vivid red colour
4. Alternate adding in the flour mixture and milk, stirring each time until completely combined before adding any more.
5. Grease and line two cake tins, before pouring in half of the mixture into each tin.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer poked in the middle comes out completely clean.
7. Once the cake is cooled, combine all the ingredients for the icing together, and ice to your preference. I like to put buttercream in the centre to sandwich the sponges together, and on the top.
8. Add sprinkles, and serve!

Bethany