Servings 12-14 / Prep time 25 mins / Cook Time 30 mins

Sponge

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Lightly grease and line two 8 inch round cake tins with greaseproof baking paper.
2. Colour the buttermilk a bright red and set aside.
3. Cream together the caster sugar and butter in a bowl until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well in-between each.
5. Mix in the vanilla extract, vinegar and oil.
6. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda.
7. Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix.
8. Pour in half the buttermilk and combine.
9. Repeat using the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk.
10. Divide the mixture equally between the tins and bake in the oven for approx. 30 mins.
11. Leave the sponges in the tins for 10 mins, then remove and cool on a wire rack.

Buttercream

1. With a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter for 5 mins until pale and fluffy.
2. Add half the icing sugar with half the cream and beat until combined. Repeat for the rest of the icing sugar, adding the cream cheese flavouring and remaining cream at the same time. You want the buttercream to be a spreadable consistency so you may need to adjust the amount of cream depending on the temperature of your baking environment.
3. Beat the buttercream for 5 mins, then use a silicone spatula to fold and press out any air bubbles.
4. Assemble the cake by adding a layer of buttercream onto the first sponge, then place the second sponge on top.
5. Cover the cake using the rest of the buttercream.
6. If you levelled your sponges, crumble the sponge tops and use this to decorate your cake.