Hands Down The Best Red Velvet Cake Food

RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray two 9-inch cake pans well with nonstick cooking spray, line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper, and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Then sift the dry ingredients to remove any lumps of cocoa powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed for 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until fully combined, then mix in the oil, red food color, vanilla extract, and vinegar stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Make sure to mix each addition until just combined and be careful not to over mix the batter.
• Evenly distribute the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans and spread the batter around into one even layer. Tap the pans on the counter 2-3 times to remove any air bubbles from the cakes.
• Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Carefully remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool in the pans for 15-20 minutes. Then, carefully remove the cakes from the cake pans and place on the wire rack to cool completely.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and mix for about 30 seconds-1 minute until well combined and smooth.
• Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Level the tops of each cake with a knife or cake leveler. Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand or plate, top with a layer of frosting, and smooth it out into one even layer. Place the second layer on top, then use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake.

SOUTHERN RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour three 9 by 1 1/2-inch round cake pans.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.
• Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.
• Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.
• Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the Cream Cheese Frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with the pecans.
• In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)
• Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

RED VELVET BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease two 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, coconut oil and granulated sugar. Cream together on medium speed, scraping the bottom and sides with a rubber spatula as needed, until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. With the mixer running, add the eggs, one at a time, beating each until fully incorporated. Add the food coloring, vanilla and vinegar and mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk in 2 to 3 alternating additions and beat until just combined. Divide the batter between the cake pans, spreading it out evenly.
• Bake until the sides of the cakes start to pull away from the pans and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes in the pans, then invert onto racks and let cool completely.
• Trim the top of each cake layer to make a flat surface. Place the bottom cake layer on a turntable or something easy to rotate. Dollop about a third of the Frosting on the cake layer and spread with an offset spatula in an even layer to the edge. Top with the second cake layer, cut-side down. Frost the sides and top, then decorate with chopped pistachios or sprinkles as desired. Use icing gel to write "Happy Birthday," if desired.
• Cream together the butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla and whip, scraping down the sides as necessary, until combined, light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.

THE BEST RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and lightly coat the paper with nonstick spray.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk, food coloring and vanilla in a second medium bowl.
• Beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer) on medium-high speed until very light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer still running, slowly add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Reduce the speed to low. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients; mix until smooth. Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
• Bake until the cakes are slightly puffed, and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the centers, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto the rack to cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on high speed (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer) until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar. Once all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• To assemble the cake: Place one cake, domed-side down, on a platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the frosting evenly over the top. Place the remaining cake, domed-side up, on top. Spread the top with 1 1/2 cups of the frosting. Frost the sides of the cake with another 1 1/2 cups frosting and smooth out completely to make an even crumb coat. (It's ok if some of the cake shows through. This is just a base layer.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set.
• Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, swirling decoratively. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

REALLY RED RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Cream shortening,butter, and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Mix together food coloring and cocoa powder with a small whisk until blended; add to shortening mixture and mix well.
• Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Add a little of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then a little of the buttermilk, alternating back and forth until you have added all the flour mixture and all of the buttermilk.
• Stir in vanilla and vinegar with a spoon until blended.
• Pour into two 9" round cake tins lined with greased parchment paper.
• Bake in a preheated 350 F oven about 35 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean.
• Let cool on wire racks in pans.
• Meanwhile, prepare frosting by whisking together the milk and the flour in a saucepan (no heat yet) until blended well.
• Turn heat on (low to medium low) and while stirring, and cook until it forms a thick paste, about 10 minutes (yes, really this long, possibly longer depending on the day).
• Remove from heat and let cool.
• When cool, put mixture into a mixing bowl and add all of the remaining ingredients except the optional food coloring.
• Beat until it is thick and peaks form like whipped cream, adding food coloring desired once it thickens (have patience, this will take several minutes even using an electric mixer).
• Frost the top only of the first cake layer, then top with second layer and frost entire cake as desired.
• I like to tint the frosting a bright red or pink to make this really, really red, but you may leave it white (more traditional) or tint it any other color you prefer (In the movie"Steel Magnolias," they tinted the frosting grey and made a groom's cake in the shape of an armadillo!).
• Hint: A whole 2 ounce bottle of food coloring usually equals 1/4 cup.

HANDS DOWN THE BEST RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Cream together the sugar and oil.
• Beat in the eggs.
• Sift dry ingredients together.
• Mix cocoa, food coloring, and vinegar in a small bowl.
• Add to sugar mixture and mix well.
• Beat a small amount of the flour mixture and mix well.
• Add a small amount of buttermilk and mix well.
• Alternate each flour and buttermilk, ending with flour.
• Add vanilla and mix well.
• Pour into 3 (8-inch) cake pans that have been greased and floured.
• Bake 22 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cream the cream cheese and butter together.
• Add vanilla and mix well.
• Add the confectioner's sugar and mix until creamy.
• Fold in pecans.
• Spread over cooled cakes.