Red Velvet Cake for Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone ! Bake yourself a luscious Red Velvet Cake to celebrate Love.


My friend from back home N. and I decided to do just that and here are the results . We used similar recipes , i used Paula Deen's - there are lots of variations - N. used a classic buttercream frosting and i used a Southern creamcheese frosting - both are yummy. To be extra festive bake in a heart shaped cake pan like N. did. Pretty !Red Velvet Cake

Cake

2 cups sugar 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature 2 eggs 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 2 ounces red food coloring 2 1/2 cups cake flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon vinegar Icing: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese 1 stick butter, softened 1 cup melted marshmallows 1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar 1 cup shredded coconut 1 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting. Icing: Blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend. Fold in coconut and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake. Devour with abandon ! N's Alternative Red Velvet Cake Recipe 2 T. cocoa powder (unsweetened) 2 oz. red food coloring (I only had 1 oz. so the cake was actually burgundy-colored but still pretty) 1 c. buttermilk 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 c. shortening 1 and 1/2 c. white sugar 2 eggs 2 and 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, sifted 1 and 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. white vinegar Grease two 9 inch cake pans (I used heart-shaped pans) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make a paste of cocoa and food coloring, set aside. Combine the buttermilk and vanilla. In another bowl, cream the shortening and sugar till light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the cocoa paste. Add salt and baking soda to the flour and mix. Add the buttermilk and vanilla alternately with the flour, then stir in the vinegar. Pour into pans and bake for 30 min. or till a tester comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. To make icing: 1 cup milk 5 T. all-purpose flour 1 c. white sugar 1 c. butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract In saucepan, combine the milk and 5 T. of flour. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, till thickened. Set aside to cool completely. Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla till light and fluffy, then stir in the cooled milk and flour mixture, beating till icing reaches spreading consistency (I used an electric hand mixer for that). I used cocoa that I brought home from a Paris chocolatier -- don't know if that made any difference but the cake was really good. The frosting was super-rich -- next time, if I use it, I will only frost the middle and the top and skip the sides.