Red Velvet Cake Recipe

I am not yet over with Valentines Red Velvet. And for some reason, my family and friends aren't over it, too!

Next to Chocolate or Devil's Food Cake, the most loved cake in the house is Red Velvet Cake. After lots of attempt in achieving a perfect red tint and moist red velvet cupcakes, I was hesitant at first to try a cake version. But I started to crave for Red Velvet cake whenever I look at it on bake shop displays! I know I could make one for myself, so I made an attempt.

And it was absolutely worth it.

To make red velvet cake, you don't simply put red food coloring on a white cake. No. There must be that slight chocolate aftertaste to it, there must be a slight sourness contradicting blending with the sweet ingredients, and the texture of the crumbs must reflect that of velvet. Hence, the name Red "Velvet". 

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 pcs. eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp (one 20mL bottle) red food coloring
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp baking soda

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 175C.
2. Sift together flour, salt, and cocoa
3. In a separate bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add the sugar and make sure to mix it until it is light and fluffy. Then, add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.
4. In a small bowl, whisk buttermilk with red food coloring.
5. Alternately add flour and buttermilk mixture to butter mixture.
6. In a small cup, combine vinegar and baking soda. Allow to fizz before folding into batter.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes. 

Makes 2 layers of 9" cake.

Recipe from Joy of Baking.

Although you can frost this cake with any type of frosting, I still recommend Cream Cheese frosting. It's not a complete red velvet cake without the cream cheese!