The search for the perfect Red Velvet Bundt recipe!

From what I read online and hear, one of the signature cakes of the home-of-the-bundt - the Southern United States - is a wonderfully lurid creation called Red Velvet Cake.

The pictures in American cook books and online show these amazing and vibrant red cakes frosted in an innocent brilliant white icing, giving the interior of the cake, when sliced, even more of an impact. I've only had one go at creating my own Red Velvet cake, so far, which, to be honest, I was really disappointed with.

It tasted absolutely fine, but the presentation was not what I wanted - rather than a shocking red, it came out a muddy red-hued brown, and the lack of icing made it a touch on the dry side (although served with cream or ice cream, it was fine!).

I've even resorted to asking my good friend in Atlanta, Ben, to ask his brother for the recipe, as Matty runs a neighbourhood bakery (www.mattycakes.com) and Red Velvet Cake is part of his menu. I was really excited until the recipe came through - all in American imperial sizes and in catering quantities - ie enough to make about 15 cakes!

Anyway, the reason I was pondering this today is a work colleague bought me her copy of Harry Eastwood's Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache - "the ultimate feel-good book of natural cakes that taste naughty". The basic premise seems to be that you can still eat "naughty" cake without losing any of the treat-factor if you substitute some of the ingredients for more natural ones - such as beetroot, aubergine, rice flour, and so-on. As well as being in the book title (and cover - see pic!), the recipe is included and is described as being "the food equivalent of watching your mother put on her lipstick"! All the ingredients are pretty standard but includes 200g of finely grated beetroot, although to my mind it still cheats a little as it uses 1tsp of red food colouring.

I'm not sure it's going to be my next attempt recipe for Red Velvet Cake, as I want that truly shocking vibrant red, which I think only man-made food colouring is going to give, but I wondered if anyone else had a killer Red Velvet Cake recipe they could share, or if they'd tried Harry Eastwood's version and how they got on?

Catch you soon! Andy