Preheat the oven to 325º F. Grease the sides and bottom of three 7-inch or two 9-inch pans with butter. Line the base of each pan with a parchment paper circle and a strip around the sides for easy cake removal. Set aside.

Sieve the all-purpose flour and unsweetened natural cocoa powder into a mixing bowl and add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Mix well then set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, red food color, vinegar, and diluted coffee. Top tip: if the red food color is lumpy, use a hand blender to fully emulsify the ingredients.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, a little at a time. Whisk after each addition to keep the batter smooth and prevent lumps forming.

Evenly divide the batter between the pans. Top tip: weigh the tins before adding the batter to make sure they are the same weight then add the batter. Each tin will have approximately 520g of batter. If using bake even cake strips, soak them thoroughly in water, squeeze out the excess, then secure them around the outside of the pans.

Bake the pans in the center of the oven for 35-40 minutes without the strips or 45-50 minutes with the strips or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking times will vary depending on your oven and size of pan you’re using. The 9-inch tins will take 45-50 minutes without the baking strips, or 55-60 minutes with them.

Allow the cakes to cool for 20-30 minutes in the pans before removing them and allowing them to cool completely on a cooling rack.

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on high for 2-3 minutes.

Add in 2 cups of powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat the frosting on low speed until combined and thick.

Add in the remaining powdered sugar, mix on low.

In a separate mixing bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth.

Add the cream cheese to the butter mixture until combined.

Chill the frosting until you are ready to use it.

Use a cake leveler or large knife to trim the tops off the cakes. Each layer should be approximately 1 ¼ inch thick.

Crumble the offcuts into a bowl and set aside. Top tip: the cake is very moist and tender so using a grater will make this easier.

Place a 10-inch cake board onto the cake turntable. Use a non-slip mat underneath to keep it in place. Secure a 7-inch board onto it with a little frosting.

Fix one layer of red velvet cake onto the board with more frosting.

Pipe or spread a quarter inch layer of frosting over the layer. Top tip: to prevent cake crumbs mixing into the frosting keep your knife in contact with the frosting as you spread it around. Avoid lifting it up and down.

Add the second layer of cake and repeat.

Add the third layer and crumb coat the cake with a thin layer of frosting. Chill for 15 minutes to fix the crumbs.

Cover the cake with a ¼ inch layer of frosting and use a cake scraper to create a smooth finish.

Use a large palette knife to create a swirl finish. Hold the tip against the bottom edge and press gently into the cake as you turn the turntable. Gradually move the knife upwards until the swirl has reached the top. Create a swirl on the top in the same way.

Sprinkle cake crumbs around the base of the cake and onto the top. Top tip: chill the cake before serving, this will make slicing easier. Dip a large knife in hot water and dry before cutting the cake. Repeat after each slice.