Red Velvet Cake

 

 

Have you ever wondered why red velvet cake has its name? It's called "velvet" because the vinegar and the buttermilk make the cake extremely soft and fluffy, just like velvet. The cake tastes amazing with cream cheese frosting. This cake is an ode to my loving yellow lab, Rio. Rio happens to be a Valentine Day puppy and I thought red velvet cupcakes with blue cream cheese frosting would be the best way to celebrate Rio's 5th birthday! The cupcakes were for my friends, of course! I hope you enjoy!

 

 

Serves 20

Ingredients:

Red Velvet Cake:
3 1/3 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 room temperature eggs
2 tbsp liquid red food coloring
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of Wilton's blue gel coloring (optional)
 

Procedure:

Red Velvet:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line mini cupcake baking sheet with paper liners and set aside. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well before and the next. In a separate small bowl, mix together the food coloring, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract. Add to the egg mixture and mix well. Stir the salt into the buttermilk and alternate adding to the bowl with cake flour, starting and ending with cake flour. In a separate small bowl, mix together the vinegar and the baking powder. Add to the cake batter. Before adding the mixture to the cake pans, make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and give your mixture one last mix. Then add to the cake pans. Bake for 20 mins and cool.

Cream Cheese:
In a large bowl, mix together the butter, cream cheese, salt, and vanilla until smooth. Add the powdered sugar to the bowl, 1/2 cup at a time. If the frosting is too thick, then add a very little bit of milk. If the mixture is too thin, then add some more powdered sugar. Frost the cake and the cake is ready to serve!