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Red Velvet Cake

Source of Recipe

Cook's Country Magazine Best Country Recipes


Recipe Introduction

I am not really a big fan of Red Velvet Cake - it seems to have an off-putting aftertaste. I've heard that some people can taste the food coloring and, if true, that may be my problem. But I made this at someone's request. Everyone really liked it and I thought that the frosting and texture/moistness of the cake was wonderful. I'd like to try these as cupcakes, too.

List of Ingredients

CAKE:
2 1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking soda
pinch salt
1 C. buttermilk
1 T. white vinegar
1 t. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 T. natural cocoa powder
2 T. (one 1-oz. bottle) red food coloring
12 T. (1 1/2 sticks) sweet butter, softened
1 1/2 C. sugar

FROSTING:
16 T. (2 sticks) sweet butter, softened
4 C. 10X, sifted
16 oz. cream cheese, softened, cut into 8 pieces
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
pinch salt



Recipe

CAKE:
Put oven rack in middle of oven. Preheat to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans and place parchment rounds in each. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and eggs in a measuring cup. Mix cocoa with the food coloring until it forms a smooth paste.

Mix the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer at medium-high until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add one-third of the flour mixture and mix on medium-low just until incorporated, 30 seconds. Add half of the buttermilk mixture and mix on low until incorporated, 30 seconds. Scraping down the bowl as needed, repeat with half of the remaining flour, then the remaining buttermilk mixture and the rest of the flour, mixing about 30 seconds after each addition. Add cocoa mixture and beat on medium speed until thoroughly mixed, about 30 seconds. Stir by hand one more time. Pour into pans and bake 25-30 minutes until the layers pass the toothpick test. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes, then turn out onto the racks and cool completely.

FROSTING:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese, a piece at a time and beat until mixed, about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use. When layers are cooled, frost. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 3 days.

Serves 12