Today is hubby’s birthday and as you do on a birthday, you you have cake for breakfast!

Our favourite red velvet – from a cake recipe of a fellow baker friend, Rozanne Pieters, and my own twist: a light and fluffy meringue topping.

250g butter (I used salted)

125ml sunflower oil

2.25 cups of sugar

2 free range eggs

1 bottle of red food colour (40ml)

1 cup of buttermilk

10ml baking powder

2ml salt

2.5 cups of flour (all purpose)

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Cream butter, oil & sugar together.  Add buttermilk, red food colour & eggs.  Add all dry ingredients and fold into the wet mixture. Place dollops of the mixture into cupcake casings in a muffin pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven of 180C for 20mins.  A toothpick should come out dry when you test it.

For the meringue topping, whisk 1 egg white while slowly adding about half a cup of castor sugar.  Add shelf a teaspoon of vanilla essence and a pinch of cream of tartar. Whisk until glossy and soft peaks form.  Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Enjoy! X