Red Velvet Cake
I made my first red velvet cake last week but wanted to comment on the process as I think I've found the best recipe. I've been on a mission to recreate my mother's recipe which she refuses to share. I think I've come pretty close. This is the recipe I've found with a few slight modifications
Ingredients
* 3 1/3 cups cake flour
* 1 1/2 sticks of butter at room temperature
* 2 1/4 cups of sugar
* 3 eggs at room temperature
* 2 ounces of red food coloring (6 tablespoons)
* 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Directions
1. Instructions
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Prepare three 9 inch round pans or two 9 x 13 inch square pans by coating the pans with butter and then dusting with flour.
4. You should line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper but this is not entirely necessary.
5. Sift together the flour and salt.
6. Using your standing mixer, set to a medium speed, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
7. Add the vanilla.
8. Add the eggs one at a time making sure that each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
9. Mix together the cocoa powder and the red food coloring together.
10. Add the cocoa mixture to the batter.
11. Reduce the mixers speed to low.
12. Add half the butter milk. Wait until the buttermilk is completely incorporated.
13. Add half the flour. Wait until the flour is completely incorporated.
14. Add the rest of the butter milk. Wait until the buttermilk is completely incorporated.
15. Add the rest of the flour.
16. Mix together the baking soda and vinegar.
17. Mix until well combined.
18. Pour the batter into the pans.
19. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
20. Cool the cake in the pans for 15 minutes or until cool to the touch.
21. Remove the cakes from the pans and continue to let them cool for at least one hour.
Let me first say that I don't understand how chefs on the food network get by on using butter to grease their pans. I should have stuck with what my grandmother always used: crisco. I cut the recipe down by a third to make 2 9-inch cakes. To make it easy, the flour goes to 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons; sugar to 1 1/2 cups and cocoa powder I made 3 T. I did not use cake flour but used all purpose flour. I did not do the suggested substitutions for using AP instead of cake flour. My cake was a bit more crumby than your everyday cakes. I also subbed 1/2 cut of oil for 1/2 cup butter, to make a moister cake.
My mother made a flour icing for hers. Mine did not turn out the first time at all and the 2nd time it was ok, seemed a little greasy. I don't like sicknening sweet frostings so the quest will continue for that.
Ingredients
* 3 1/3 cups cake flour
* 1 1/2 sticks of butter at room temperature
* 2 1/4 cups of sugar
* 3 eggs at room temperature
* 2 ounces of red food coloring (6 tablespoons)
* 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Directions
1. Instructions
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Prepare three 9 inch round pans or two 9 x 13 inch square pans by coating the pans with butter and then dusting with flour.
4. You should line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper but this is not entirely necessary.
5. Sift together the flour and salt.
6. Using your standing mixer, set to a medium speed, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
7. Add the vanilla.
8. Add the eggs one at a time making sure that each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
9. Mix together the cocoa powder and the red food coloring together.
10. Add the cocoa mixture to the batter.
11. Reduce the mixers speed to low.
12. Add half the butter milk. Wait until the buttermilk is completely incorporated.
13. Add half the flour. Wait until the flour is completely incorporated.
14. Add the rest of the butter milk. Wait until the buttermilk is completely incorporated.
15. Add the rest of the flour.
16. Mix together the baking soda and vinegar.
17. Mix until well combined.
18. Pour the batter into the pans.
19. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
20. Cool the cake in the pans for 15 minutes or until cool to the touch.
21. Remove the cakes from the pans and continue to let them cool for at least one hour.
Let me first say that I don't understand how chefs on the food network get by on using butter to grease their pans. I should have stuck with what my grandmother always used: crisco. I cut the recipe down by a third to make 2 9-inch cakes. To make it easy, the flour goes to 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons; sugar to 1 1/2 cups and cocoa powder I made 3 T. I did not use cake flour but used all purpose flour. I did not do the suggested substitutions for using AP instead of cake flour. My cake was a bit more crumby than your everyday cakes. I also subbed 1/2 cut of oil for 1/2 cup butter, to make a moister cake.
My mother made a flour icing for hers. Mine did not turn out the first time at all and the 2nd time it was ok, seemed a little greasy. I don't like sicknening sweet frostings so the quest will continue for that.