Confession time: I'm not much of a chocolate cake fan. Or chocolate ice cream, cookies, mousse, or muffin fan. Don't give me that horrified looking face just yet - I love my chocolate but I just don't think that chocolate-flavored dessert give neither the bean's sophisticated fragrance nor the dessert's depth of flavor any dessert.
But red velvet is a whole different story. It just sliggghhhtttlllyyy chocolatey, super moist, fluffy, with a dabble of acidic complexity from the vinegar + buttermilk. Oh, and cream cheese frosting because who am I kidding? Cake is only a vehicle to enhance the magic that is creamy, luscious frosting.
This recipe is light enough to almost be chiffon-like but maintains a remarkably moist crumb. Top it off with my whipped cream-cream cheese frosting to complement the delicate flavors and textures of the cake.
Valentine's date? I've found mine!
Classic red velvet cake
Makes 1 8 inch, 4 layer cake
Ingredients:
- 250 g cake flour
- 250 g sugar
- 4 g baking soda
- 15 g cocoa powder
- 5 g salt
- 2 eggs
- 360 mL vegetable oil
- 240 mL buttermilk
- 30 mL red food coloring
- 5 mL vanilla extract
- 5 mL distilled vinegar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 8 inch cake pans
- Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt
- In the bowl of a kitchen mixer, beat together eggs, oil buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar.
- Add in dry ingredients in three separate additions, making sure to incorporate all before adding the next addition. Beat until smooth; the batter should be runny
- Divide batter between the cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes until done. Allow cakes to fully cool before frosting.
Whipped cream cream cheese frosting
Ingredients:
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 3-4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Salt to taste
Directions
- Beat heavy whipping cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium speed to very soft peaks
- Add in cream cheese and beat on medium-high until medium-hard peaks
- Frost cake immediately or store in the refrigerator and briefly beat before using.
***Recipe adapted from Kelsey's Apple a Day
