Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 170ºC/150ºC fan and line/grease two 8" cake tins and set aside.
2. Beat together the unsalted butter and caster sugar with a mixer until smooth and fluffy, then gradually beat in the egg so that it doesn't curdle (if it doesn't curdle, beat in a little flour to bring it back).
3. In a small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, red food colouring, and vanilla extract to a thick dark paste (if it is struggling to become a paste, then add in a little milk to make it runnier and mix better - it needs to be smooth!) - it may take a couple of minutes but this will make it easier to add to the rest of the mixture if you do it this way - and the sponge will be more red!
4. Add this mixture to the unsalted butter and caster sugar mixture and beat until combined and evenly coloured.
5. Turn the speed down to slow, and pour in half of the buttermilk.
6. Add in half of the plain flour and beat again, and then the other half of the buttermilk & beat, and then the other half of the flour & beat.
7. Beat in the bicarbonate of soda and white wine vinegar.
8. Beat again for a couple of minutes and then add the collagen and beat again until everything is smooth and incorporated well.
9. Separate into your tin preference and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the middle of the cake comes out clean when poked with a skewer!
10. Once the cakes are baked, leave to cool fully on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Make sure your unsalted butter is at room temperature.
2. Beat your butter on it's own for a few minutes to loosen it.
3. Add in the icing sugar, and beat again - I beat this for about 5 minutes, to make it really smooth.
4. Make sure your cream cheese doesn't have any excess water - I find it best to add it to a bowl first just to make sure.
5. Add in the cream cheese, collagen, vanilla and beat.
6. Beat it for a few minutes until it's smooth and thick!
7. Once beaten - it should be lovely and thick.
8. Decorate to your heart's desire!