Little Red (Velvet) Delights

Red velvet and Eastgate is a match made in heaven, be it cake, doughnuts or a frothy latte. During the month of love, spoil yourself (or someone you adore) with a confection of red velvet bites from our top restaurants and stores.

1. Cakes And Pastries

Finding red velvet cake at Eastgate is easy. Make your first stop at Harper’s Restaurant. This patisserie-meets-bistro greets its patrons with a decadent display of classic red velvet cake, topped with cream cheese icing. It’s the ideal cake slice to share with your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day!

If you prefer a single red velvet cupcake, pop into Starbucks at Eastgate. Paired with one of their gourmet-flavoured coffees, this is red velvet heaven. You can also sample a red velvet cupcake from the bakery at Checkers Hyper; we’re talking three layers of spongy red velvet cake layered with cream cheese icing, served in a handy portable cup.

Red velvet is also the perfect celebration cake, especially a Red Velvet Gateau from Woolworths Food Market. Or, spoil your guests with individual red velvet cupcake from a pack of nine. With hand-piped cream cheese icing and a red velvet crumb topping, Woolies has your party needs sorted.

Red Velvet Gateau

Available from Woolworths.

Store Number: L20B/U15B | Tel: (011) 677 4511

2. Red Velvet Latte

Our next stop on the red velvet tasting journey at Eastgate is the Woolworths Cafe. Their menu features three super lattes, one of which is the Crimson Latte. Made from beetroot, micro-textured milk and coconut blossom sugar, this is a healthy take on a red velvet latte.

If you prefer to make your own latte at home or work, a box of Instant Red Velvet Latte sachets from Woolworths Food Market at Eastgate is your go-to buy. A delicious blend of cacao and beetroot, these individual sachets are the ideal feature in your pantry.

Instant Red Velvet Latte (x10)

Available from Woolworths.

Store Number: L20B/U15B | Tel: (011) 677 4511

3. Dreamy Doughnuts

Krispy Kreme is the home of the humble doughnut at Eastgate Shopping Centre. And it’s no surprise that one of their most popular flavours is the Red Velvet Doughnut – a sweet confection iced with tangy cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with red velvet crumbs. Gift your loved ones with a box of these for Valentine’s Day or keep them all to yourself!

Keen to try your hand at making your own red velvet doughnuts? Here is an easy to follow recipe by one of South Africa’s most trusted chefs, Siba Mtongana.

Baked Red Velvet Doughnuts

(makes 6)

Ingredients

4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp vegetable oil
180ml white sugar
1 extra large egg
4ml baking powder
1ml bicarbonate of soda
2ml salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup milk
1 – 2 red food colouring gel

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Lightly grease doughnut moulds.
Using a mixer, beat the butter, vegetable oil and sugar until completely smooth.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Stir in the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, vanilla extract and salt.
Gradually add the red food colouring gel to the milk, until it reaches the desired colour.
Alternate adding the milk and flour, and stir together. The flour should be the last addition.
Make sure everything is well combined, being careful not to over mix the batter.
Spoon the mixture into the moulds, leaving about 1 cm of the tin empty. This will leave room for the doughnuts to rise.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until risen and lightly golden.
Once baked, allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tray, before turning onto a wire rack.

Cream cheese frosting:

Combine 1 tub cream cheese with 50g butter, 1kg icing sugar, the juice of half a lemon and water to thin if needed. Spread the icing over the doughnuts and leave to set.

Looking for more DIY red velvet recipes and ingredients? Checkers Hyper stocks Ina Paarman’s Red Velvet Cake mix and Moir’s Red Velvet Mug Cake Mix. So, you can whip up a variety of red velvet delights this Valentine’s Day or throughout the year. However, when you’re really in the mood for a hint of red velvet, we recommend Beacon’s Red Velvet chocolate slab, available at Checkers. This consists of a smooth white chocolate filled with red velvet centre. It’s the perfect indulgence and a great budget-friendly Valentine’s Day gift.

Ina Paarman’s Red Velvet Cake mix

Available from Checkers Hyper.

Store Number: U75B | Tel: (011) 601 5360/5387

Moir’s Red Velvet Mug Cake Mix

Available from Checkers Hyper.

Store Number: U75B | Tel: (011) 601 5360/5387

Beacon Red Velvet Chocolate slab

Available from Checkers Hyper.

Store Number: U75B | Tel: (011) 601 5360/5387