Kick-Ass Red Velvet Cake Recipe!

I’m in a great mood so I am going to share with you all this amazing red velvet cake recipe courtesy of the Joy of Baking website.  You’re welcome!  Haha!  The recipe produces the most moist, fabulous cake and looks just incredible with its mascarpone cheese icing.  I have also included a chocolate ganache icing recipe (as pictured in the header image).

Red Velvet Cake

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon baking soda

Mascarpone Cheese Frosting

1 – 8 ounce pkg. cream cheese, room temperature

1 – 8 ounce tub of Mascarpone cheese, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup confectioners’ (icing or powdered) sugar, sifted

1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream (double cream, 35-40% butterfat)

Cake Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and place rack in center of oven. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In bowl of your electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.

Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 -30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight (this is done to make filling and frosting the cakes easier).

Mascarpone Cheese Frosting Instructions

In the bowl of your electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and beat until smooth. Using the whisk attachment, gradually add the heavy cream* (see note below) and whip until the frosting is thick enough to spread. Add more sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency.

Cake Assembly

With a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half horizontally. You will now have four cake layers. Place one of the cake layers – cut side facing down – onto your serving platter. Spread this layer with frosting.  Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting and continue to frost and stack the cake layers. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Garnish the cake with sweetened or unsweetened coconut, berries or whatever you like!

Note: You must use a brand of heavy cream that whips very easily to stiff peaks. If you are using a brand of heavy cream that does not whip easily to stiff peaks then whip the heavy cream separately to stiff peaks and then fold it into the cream cheese mixture.

Serves 10 – 12 people.

Ganache Icing Recipe

8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon cognac or brandy (optional…but yummy!)

Apply to cake with small spatula.

Here is a great video on applying ganache icing: 

Enjoy!

xo,

Dominique

*Header image courtesy of www.1luvbakery.com.  I apologize profusely for not having an original pic.  While this cake is fantastic, it’s labour intensive and did not have time to “whip one up” this week!