Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet CakeThis Red Velvet Cake is adapted from the Sweet Southern Dreams article in Saveur Magazine’s March 2012 Issue. It’s dedicated to all you cake enthusiasts out there.

Red Velvet Cake
Although cream cheese frosting is typically used these days on red velvet cake, this frosting makes for a more balanced sweetness.  

Ingredients
For The Cake
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
2 1/2 cups cake flour, plus more for pans, sifted
2 tbsp. Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. red food coloring
1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs

For The Frosting
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions
Make the Cake
Heat oven to 350°. Butter and flour two 8″ cake pans, and set aside.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Whisk together buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla in a bowl; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, alternately add dry ingredients in 3 batches and wet ingredients in 2 batches. Increase speed to high and beat until batter is smooth (about 5 seconds).

Divide batter between prepared pans, and smooth top with a rubber spatula; drop pans lightly on a counter to expel any large air bubbles. Bake cakes until a toothpick, inserted in middle, comes out clean (about 30 minutes).

Allow cakes to cool for 20 minutes in pans. Invert onto wire racks, and finish cooling.

Make the Frosting
Whisk together sugar and flour in a 4-qt. saucepan; add milk and whisk until smooth. Stirring often, bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook, stirring constantly, until very thick (about 5 minutes). Remove pudding from heat and cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter and 1/4 of the pudding on medium-high speed until fluffy and smooth (about 1 minute). Add half the remaining pudding, beating until smooth, and then add remaining pudding and vanilla. Increase speed to high and beat frosting until white and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

Assemble the Cake
To assemble, place one cake on a cake stand, and spread with 1 1/2 cups frosting. Place second cake over frosting; cover top and sides with remaining frosting; chill to firm frosting. Serve at room temperature.

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