Red velvet cake (makes one 8" round pan cake) 

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups sugar 

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon burgundy gel colour

3 cups flour

1 Tablespoon cocoa

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

The red velvet cake

Simple syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Buttercream 

400g sugar (approx 1 ¾ cups) 

8 large egg whites 

1lb (454 g) unsalted butter, room temperature 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1/2 cup water

Making your cake into a brain

31/2lbs White fondant icing

Burgundy icing colour

Golden yellow icing colour 

Black icing colour 

Seedless raspberry jam

Method

The base is red velvet cake (classic) baked in a metal bowl to create a dome shape and shaped with a knife to include the brain "crease" down the middle.