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Christmas: Amy's Red Velvet Cake

Source of Recipe


From "The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread" by Amy Scherber



List of Ingredients



• ½ cup sour cream
  
• 2 Tbsp Valrhona cocoa powder
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
  
• 1 Tbsp red food coloring
  
• 1 cup boiling water
  
• 3 cups sifted cake flour
  
• ½ tsp kosher salt
  
• 1½ tsp baking powder
  
• 5 large eggs
  
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
  
• 2½ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
  
• .
  
• Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)
  






Instructions



1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans. Line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper, then dust them lightly with cocoa powder or flour. Shake out the excess.
   
   
2. In large bowl, whisk sour cream, cocoa, baking soda and food coloring until it is a smooth paste. Gradually add boiling water, whisking to fully incorporate. In another bowl, combine cake flour, salt and baking powder, and whisk them gently. In a separate small bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla. Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg mixture gradually, mixing well after each addition and scraping the sides and bottom of bowl often. Lower mixing speed to medium-low and add flour to the butter in three parts, alternating with the liquid mixture. Mix well.
   
   
3. Divide the batter between the two cake pans. Place the pans on the center rack in the preheated oven and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the cake is almost ready to pull away from the side of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the layers carefully from front to back after 20 minutes, for even baking.
   
   
4. Cool pans on rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack that has been sprayed with cooking spray, and lift off the pans. To prevent cracking, carefully right each layer so the top side is up and the parchment-lined bottom is down. Cool completely. Be sure to remove parchment from bottom of each layer before frosting.
   
   
5. Frost sides and top of cake.
   Store cake at room temperature, preferably under a cake dome, for up to 3 days.
   
   Makes one 9-inch double-layer cake.
   
   ............
   
   SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
   
   • 1-3/8 cups unsalted butter, slightly softened
   • 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp shortening
   • 1½ cups sugar
   • 5 large egg whites
   • 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
   • ¼ tsp kosher salt
   • 1¼ tsp vanilla extract
   
   In mixing bowl, with electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and shortening for a couple of minutes. Scrape this into a different bowl and set aside. Clean mixing bowl to use for egg whites.
   
   Combine sugar, egg whites, corn syrup and salt in top pan of double boiler. Heat over simmering water, stirring frequently, until the sugar granules have dissolved and the food thermometer registers 140° F.
   
   Transfer the whites to the clean mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer with a whip attachment, whip whites on medium-high speed for 10 to 12 minutes. The mixture should be white and fluffy, and very thick. Add the butter mixture and the vanilla to the egg white mixture and whip again, on medium speed, until the frosting has a smooth, creamy, spreadable texture, almost like whipped cream, 1 to 2 minutes.
   
   Makes enough to fill and frost one 9-inch layer cake.