Make a Red Velvet Cake for a Valentine
Red Velvet Cake tastes as good as it looks
Red Velvet Cake is a hit in my house. Whenever I make it I'm hailed as a supercook and guests never fail to ask if I really made it myself.
This cake is perfect for special occasions, like St valentine's Day, but easy enough to cook any time at all.
It's the look of it that's the first attraction. The impossible redness that makes this cake appear store-bought.
As for the mascarpone topping, that really is the icing on the cake
Red Velvet Cake Recipe
- 2 1/2 cups sifted self raising flour
- !/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
Make a Red Velvet Cake - Video
Another Red Velvet Cake demonstration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.
- Butter two - 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
- In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.
- Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes
You need a Nonstick Cake Pan
Cream Cheese Icing
8 oz. cold cream cheese
5 Tbsp. softened butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. icing sugar or sifted powdered sugar
Beat cream cheese with butter and vanilla until combined.
Gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar at a time.
Continue to add more of the sugar until you reach the desired consistency.
Extra Special Mascarpone Icing
2 egg yolks
1 and 1/4 cups (250g) caster sugar or finely powdered sugar
300g mascarpone cheese
2 cups (500ml) thickened cream
Add mascarpone to whipped yolks. Beat until combined.
Add sugar and beat.
In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold into yolk mixture.
Special Cake for a Special Occasion
The red velvet cake is perfect for an occasion such as St Valentine's day or when you want to show some extra special love in a cake.
Sprinkle some chopped walnuts, toasted almonds or dried fruits.
Christmas is a good time too, particularly if you decorate the red of the cake with a couple of holly and berry toppers, or some little Christmas figures. You could use marzipan for the icing, or stick with the cream cheese
Have you tried mascarpone for icing? Super creamy, super luscious.
© 2010 Susanna Duffy