interlude: red velvet cake
As a thank-you to chefx for tracking down info on aebelskivers, and because I seem to have finally nailed this recipe, here's the final version of the fabled red velvet cake.
Tools
• sharp serrated cake/bread knife
• two 9” cake pans and cake stand or plate OR 1-2 12 count cupcake pans and liners
• pan spray
• sifter (or use a fork in a pinch)
• mixer
• three large bowls
• flat or offset spatula for icing (or use the cake knife)
• cooling rack or flat, clean surface
• oven preheated to 350, set with two racks if you’re making a cake
Cake Ingredients
DRY
• 2 ½ cups all purpose or cake flour
• 1 ½ c sugar
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t kosher salt
• 4 t cocoa powder
WET
• 1 ½ c vegetable oil
• 1 c buttermilk at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• 2 T (1 oz) red food coloring
• 1 t white distilled vinegar
• 1 t vanilla extract
pecans for garnish (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
• 1 lb cream cheese, softened
• 1 c butter, softened
• 4 c powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 t vanilla
• lemon juice, to taste
Cake Technique: Dry/Wet
Sift and combine the dry, combine and mix the wet, and then add the dry to the wet in stages, beating just until the batter is completely incorporated and smooth (no lumps). Don’t overbeat, which will overwork the gluten in the flour and make the cake less moist. If you don’t have a sifter or strainer to sift the dry ingredients, in a pinch you can toss it with a fork and run your fingers through to find and crush any lumps. The batter will be thick and deep velvety red.
Spray and line the pans, dividing the batter evenly among them. This recipe will make approximately 12-18 regular cupcakes, depending on how you measure them out. It also makes a three layer cake, but dividing two cakes into three workable layers can be tricky. It helps if you deliberately put more in one pan than another.
The cakes are done when they’re done. Home ovens are tricky and bake unevenly, so check and rotate the cakes every fifteen to twenty minutes and adjust the temperature if needed. Allow 40 minutes to an hour for baking. Use the toothpick test for doneness. Once done, turn them out carefully onto cooling racks or a flat, clean surface after loosening the edges with a knife. Let cool.
Icing Technique: Creaming
Sift the powdered sugar. Cream the sugar, butter, and cream cheese together with a blender or your hands until light and fluffy. Blend in the vanilla and lemon juice. Lemon juice is needed to cut the sweetness of the icing and bring out the cream cheese flavor; adjust to taste. (Orange also goes well with red velvet.) Refrigerate icing until cool and slightly stiff.
Assembly
Cut the cakes into three layers and stack, icing each layer. The cake’s surface will be more even if you apply a thin base layer, let the cake chill slightly in the fridge or freezer until the icing is firm, then apply the final coat, touching it up with a warm knife (run under hot water and wipe dry). Or, ice cake or cupcakes with a pastry bag and tip. Decorate with crushed and toasted pecans if desired.
Tools
• sharp serrated cake/bread knife
• two 9” cake pans and cake stand or plate OR 1-2 12 count cupcake pans and liners
• pan spray
• sifter (or use a fork in a pinch)
• mixer
• three large bowls
• flat or offset spatula for icing (or use the cake knife)
• cooling rack or flat, clean surface
• oven preheated to 350, set with two racks if you’re making a cake
Cake Ingredients
DRY
• 2 ½ cups all purpose or cake flour
• 1 ½ c sugar
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t kosher salt
• 4 t cocoa powder
WET
• 1 ½ c vegetable oil
• 1 c buttermilk at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• 2 T (1 oz) red food coloring
• 1 t white distilled vinegar
• 1 t vanilla extract
pecans for garnish (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
• 1 lb cream cheese, softened
• 1 c butter, softened
• 4 c powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 t vanilla
• lemon juice, to taste
Cake Technique: Dry/Wet
Sift and combine the dry, combine and mix the wet, and then add the dry to the wet in stages, beating just until the batter is completely incorporated and smooth (no lumps). Don’t overbeat, which will overwork the gluten in the flour and make the cake less moist. If you don’t have a sifter or strainer to sift the dry ingredients, in a pinch you can toss it with a fork and run your fingers through to find and crush any lumps. The batter will be thick and deep velvety red.
Spray and line the pans, dividing the batter evenly among them. This recipe will make approximately 12-18 regular cupcakes, depending on how you measure them out. It also makes a three layer cake, but dividing two cakes into three workable layers can be tricky. It helps if you deliberately put more in one pan than another.
The cakes are done when they’re done. Home ovens are tricky and bake unevenly, so check and rotate the cakes every fifteen to twenty minutes and adjust the temperature if needed. Allow 40 minutes to an hour for baking. Use the toothpick test for doneness. Once done, turn them out carefully onto cooling racks or a flat, clean surface after loosening the edges with a knife. Let cool.
Icing Technique: Creaming
Sift the powdered sugar. Cream the sugar, butter, and cream cheese together with a blender or your hands until light and fluffy. Blend in the vanilla and lemon juice. Lemon juice is needed to cut the sweetness of the icing and bring out the cream cheese flavor; adjust to taste. (Orange also goes well with red velvet.) Refrigerate icing until cool and slightly stiff.
Assembly
Cut the cakes into three layers and stack, icing each layer. The cake’s surface will be more even if you apply a thin base layer, let the cake chill slightly in the fridge or freezer until the icing is firm, then apply the final coat, touching it up with a warm knife (run under hot water and wipe dry). Or, ice cake or cupcakes with a pastry bag and tip. Decorate with crushed and toasted pecans if desired.