Red Velvet Cake with Butter Cream Frosting

My magical friend Lynn Hagen is one fabulous baker, and frequently treats us with her wonderful desserts and pastries. At our recent Cookie Exchange party, Lynn brought her award winning, triple layer, red velvet cake with butter cream frosting! Yummy! I never knew red velvet could taste so good!

When asked if I could share her recipe with you, Lynn graciously said "yes".  This New Orleans recipe is one she acquired long ago from a friend's aunt's cookbook. The frosting is a "Classic Wilton" recipe.

We hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

Red Velvet Cake (frosting recipe is below)

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups cake flour

¾ cup unsalted butter

2 1/3 cups sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa

3 large eggs

6 tablespoons red food coloring (2 bottles)

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 ½ cups buttermilk

1 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar

 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350

• Grease and lightly flour three 9x2 inch round cake pans; then line the bottom with waxed paper (or parchment paper)

• In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and set aside.  In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa and vanilla.  Add to the batter and beat well. 

• In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk, Add to the batter in three parts alternating with the flour.  With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not over beat.  In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda.  Add to the batter and mix well,  Using a rubber spatula scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and batter is smooth.  Divide the batter among the prepared pans.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Let the layers cool in the pans for 1 hour, remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

• When the cake has cooled, spread with buttercream frosting between the layers, then ice the top and sides of the cake.  One recipe is enough if spreading thin.  I use one and one-half recipes of frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening (1 Crisco white stick)

1 cup butter, softened

2 pounds powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 tablespoons milk

Method:

• Cream shortening and butter until fluffy.  Add sugar, milk and vanilla, Blend on medium speed until all ingredients are mixed well.  Blend a minute or two more until creamy in texture.
• To thin frosting, add 2 teaspoons milk per cup of stiff frosting.
• Yield: 6 cups stiff frosting – enough for a two layer cake.