No-Oven Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Steps

Cake

1. 1

   Warm the milk until comfortably warm, not boiling. Combine it with the white vinegar in a bowl. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, until it begins to curdle. If needed, replace the vinegar with the same quantity of lemon juice.

   Start 5-minute timer
2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the castor sugar, sunflower oil, yogurt, the curdled milk-and-vinegar mixture, and red gel food coloring. Whisk until the mixture is evenly combined and the color is uniform.

3. 3

   Sift the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda together to remove lumps and distribute the leavening evenly.

4. 4

   Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix just until combined and no large pockets of flour remain; avoid prolonged mixing so the cake stays tender.

5. 5

   Grease a 6-inch saucepan with sunflower oil or butter. Line the base with parchment paper, then pour in the batter and smooth the surface.

6. 6

   Place a tawa or flat frying pan over low to medium heat. Set the filled saucepan on the tawa, cover it securely with a lid, and cook for 45–50 minutes.

   Start 50-minute timer
7. 7

   Check the cake by inserting a skewer into the center. It is ready when the skewer comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs. If wet batter remains, cover and continue cooking briefly, checking again.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8. 8

   While the cake cooks, prepare the frosting. Place the softened butter and vanilla extract in a bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until pale, light, and fluffy.

9. 9

   Add the softened cream cheese to the whipped butter. Beat again until fully combined and smooth.

10. 10

    Gradually add the sifted icing sugar in several additions, mixing slowly after each addition to prevent a cloud of sugar. Continue beating until the frosting is smooth and well combined.

11. 11

    Chill the finished cream cheese frosting in the refrigerator while the cake finishes cooking and cools.

Assembly

12. 12

    Let the baked cake cool completely to room temperature before loosening and demoulding it from the saucepan. Spread or pipe the chilled frosting over the cooled cake, then serve.