red velvet cake

March 27th was my husbands 35th birthday!  This day was suppose to be the perfect 35th birthday.  A day filled with fun, friends, sunshine, red velvet cake, UK winning the basketball game and advancing to the final four.  Hubby was set to go to the final four and championship game to watch his beloved UK team.  The day was a close success but, the Cats lost!  It was a heart breaker for him.  I was even going to do a blue velvet cake if they won in honor of his trip.  Luckily cake was not made before the game so, I shifted gears and went back to red.  No salt needed in the wounds.  I was surprised when hubby requested a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting as this does not fall under any of the brownie, chocolate chip cookie, or peanut butter categories.  The red velvet cake is going to be my daughters signature birthday cake as I had an enormous slice minutes before I went into labor with her.  She came out sweet!  I did a lot of research on the red velvet cake.  I had cookbooks with recipes.  Some used a little cocoa powder, some used a lot.  There was the split between oil and butter and then was it colored by gel or by food coloring.  I decided to go the little cocoa, butter and food coloring route.  I came to realize that I will have to make several attempts in order to find my recipe which will in turn be my daughters go to birthday cake (hope she likes red velvet)!  The cake came out great.  It was very moist and had a very subtle cocoa flavor.  Due to our big day at the sports bar my cake decorating skills were not at an all time high ... sorry honey.  Despite the cake not looking perfect and the Cats losing I hope you had a great 35th!

Red Velvet Cake 

Source: Southern Cakes by Nancie McDermott 

Please note the recipe in the cookbook calls from a cooked pecan frosting but, the hubby required a cream cheese frosting so, I used my go to frosting which has evolved and is constantly being tweaked.

Cake

2½ cups all purpose flour

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

2 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp red food coloring

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1½ tsp baking soda

1 tbsp white vinegar    

Cake

To make the cake, heat the oven to 350F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line them with waxed paper to kitchen parchment. Grease the paper and flour the pans.

Prepare three separate mixtures for the batter. Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl and use a fork to mix them together well. Combine the cocoa powder and the red food colouring in a small bowl, mashing and stirring them together to make a thick smooth paste.  Combine the buttermilk and the vanilla and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter with a mixer at low speed for 1 minute until creamy and soft. Add the sugar and then beat well for 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl now and then. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each one until the mixture is creamy, fluffy and smooth. Scrape the cocoa-food colouring paste into the batter and beat to mix it in evenly.

Add a third of the flour mixture and then about half the milk, beating the batter with a mixer at low speed. Mix only enough to make the flour or liquid disappear into the batter. Mix in another third of the flour, the rest of the milk and then the last of the flour in the same way.

In a small bowl, combine the baking soda and vinegar and stir well. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to quickly mix this last mixture into the red batter, folding it in gently by hand. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans.

Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes until the layers are spring back when touched lightly in the centre and are just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pans.

Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks or folded kitchen towels for 15 minutes. Then turn them out onto the racks, remove the paper and turn top side up again to cool completely.

Frosting

12 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)

3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Place cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat, on low speed to combine. If too soft, chill until slightly stiff, about 10 minutes, before using.

Inspiration/motivation provided by Monica at Lick The Bowl Good