Red Velvet Cake #5

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons liquid red food color
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon distilled white or cider vinegar
• Cream Cheese Frosting (*see below)

Details

Adapted from community.qvc.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease two 8-inch cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper and grease paper.

Sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda into bowl and whisk briefly to combine; set aside. Stir red food color into buttermilk and set aside.

In large mixing bowl, cream butter with brown sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolks slowly, beating and scraping bowl to ensure that they are completely incorporated. On low speed, add dry ingredients alternately with colored buttermilk. To prevent streaking in cake, be sure to scrape sides of bowl well as you mix batter. Finally, stir in vinegar by hand. Divide the batter between cake pans.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let the layers cool in pans for 10 minutes. Then turn out onto wire rack, peel off paper, and let cool completely.

* Make the frosting:*
Using 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 stick unsalted butter, 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

To decorate cake, place one layer bottom side up on cake plate. Spread 3/4 cup of cream cheese frosting evenly over cake right to edges. Add second layer and use remaining frosting to decorate sides and top by gently swirling over cake.

*Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients:

10 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 stick (4 ounces) plus
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
5 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely blended. Sift the confectioners’ sugar onto the mixture in several additions, beating thoroughly in between. Add the vanilla and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy but still holds its shape, 3 to 5 minutes. Use immediately.

Baking Tip: Do not use reduced-fat or nonfat cream cheese. The consistency will not be the same.