Valentine’s Red Rose Velvet Cake
Whether you’re joining us overlooking the sparkling waters of Falmouth Bay this Valentine’s weekend, or planning a thoughtful homemade treat for someone special, this ‘Red Rose’ velvet cake recipe is the perfect way to treat your valentine.
There’s something undeniably romantic about a beautifully baked cake – especially one as striking as our Red Rose Velvet Cake, created to be enjoyed as part of The Falmouth’s Valentine’s Day Afternoon Tea. With its deep crimson sponge, delicate cocoa notes and luxurious cream cheese icing, this little showstopper is a true celebration of love. Created by Aaron Rawlings, Pastry Chef at our sister hotel The Greenbank, this is a bake designed to impress – yet simple enough to enjoy making at home.
Ingredients
For the cake:
360g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
10g cocoa powder
½ tsp salt
115g butter
400g caster sugar
240g oil
4 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp red food colouring powder
225g milk
For the cream cheese icing:
450g full-fat cream cheese
600g icing sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder, salt and red food colouring powder.
Slowly add the eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time. If the mixture begins to split, add a spoonful of the flour mix to bring it back together.
Stir in the vanilla extract and white wine vinegar.
Fold in the remaining dry ingredients, then add the milk and mix until smooth.
Lightly spray 12–15 mini silicone moulds with oil and divide the mixture evenly between them.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, until cooked through. Allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a cooling rack, then leave to cool completely.
For the cream cheese icing:
Whisk all icing ingredients together until light, smooth and fluffy. Set aside until ready to assemble.
To assemble
Trim the tops of the cooled cakes to level them.
Dry the offcuts in the oven, then blitz in a food processor to create fine cake crumbs — set aside.
Slice each cake in half horizontally.
Spoon the cream cheese icing into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle.
Pipe icing onto one half of the cake, sandwich together, then finish with a swirl of icing on top.
Sprinkle with the cake crumbs for a beautifully romantic finish.
Whether at home or by the sea, we hope this cake brings a little sweetness to your Valentine’s celebrations.
Of course, if you’d rather leave the baking to us, our Valentine’s Day Afternoon Tea is the perfect excuse to indulge without lifting a finger. Enjoy this ‘Red Rose’ velvet cake – along with a selection of lovingly prepared treats – while taking in the coastal views that make The Falmouth so special.
To book your Valentine’s Day Afternoon Tea at The Falmouth, please click here.
