Red Velvet Cake

Although the origins may be disputed, this cake is a crowd pleaser! I was reminded how much I love it when we attended the Brooklyn Bridge Birthday Bash in the spring of 2008. It was such a fun event. There were school choirs, mayoral speeches, fireworks and birthday cake. The cake was a deliciously moist and rich red velvet cake. I have spent some time developing a recipe that satisfies what I like in a red velvet cake: A semi-firm crumb, pleasantly moist, creamy frosting, and very red. I took the final version to a gathering of friends this weekend and it was a hit. If you are looking for an incredible cake, try this recipe.

Red Velvet Cake

2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 ounce red food coloring

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 350˚. Brush 2 9” cake pans with melted butter and line the bottoms with parchment. Brush the parchment with butter as well.

1. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after adding each egg. Add vanilla and food coloring, beat well. Scrape down sides of bowl.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, salt and cocoa powder.
3. Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just till combined using the low speed. Add 1/2 of the butter milk and mix. Continue alternating the dry ingredients and the buttermilk and mix till combined each time. After the final addition, scrape down the sides and mix one more time to ensure the batter is properly blended.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Watch carefully and do not over-bake. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.
5. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then remove cakes from pans and cool completely. The cakes can be baked up to 2 days in advance. Wrap layers individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to frost.
6. Frost using cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

6 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste* (extract may be substituted)

4 cups sifted confectioners sugar

1. Beat cream cheese and butter using a mixer until fluffy. Add vanilla bean paste and mix well.
2. Add the sifted confectioners sugar in two batches, beating well each time. You may need to add more sugar to get the right consistency.

Makes enough to frost top and sides of a 9” two layer cake.

* I like using vanilla bean paste in the frosting. The flavor is delicate and the vanilla bean flecks that show in the finished product are beautiful. You can find vanilla bean paste in most specialty kitchen stores such as Williams-Sonoma or Sur la Table.