I realize your typical person doesn't just whip up a wedding cake. And trust me when I say, I didn't want to either. But as I started researching cakes for my upcoming wedding, I almost passed out when I saw the prices. $500 was at the VERY low end?!?! No way. So, since I love baking, I decided to give it a try. I don't particularly want to do it ever again, but I am proud of my accomplishment. AND thanks to one layer of cake that fell a little flat, we were able to try it and find out that it is beyond amazing. So, here is the recipe (found at foodnetwork.com). I altered it slightly to make it easier & in my opinion, better.
Feel free to make a normal cake, or, if you are as insane as me - a wedding cake. Either way you will not be able to stop eating it.
(I apologize for the lack of pictured instructions - I was too nervous about getting everything done perfectly right!)
Red Velvet Cake:
Cake Batter
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pound cream cheese, softened (2- 8 oz containers)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut out two 9" circles of parchment paper and place them in two 9" cake pans.
2) In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
3) In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.
4) Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.
5) Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans and place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart.
6) Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
7) Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. Let cool for about 5 minutes in the pan, then invert the cakes onto a cooling rack.
8) While the cakes are cooling (or freezing), make the cream cheese frosting. In a large bowl mix the cream cheese, sugar and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Or if you want a thicker frosting, you can mix it for less time). Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and add the vanilla. Then raise the speed to high once more and mix briefly until fluffy.
9) When the cakes are completely cooled (or frozen), begin to frost the them. First, place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of the plate you would like it served on. Spread some of the cream cheese frosting on the top of the cake, enough to make a 1/4" - 1/2" layer. Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side up, and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting.
(This was my cake, with fondant and all! It will have fresh red roses inserted into each layer of the cake before it will be completely finished....I'll try to post another picture of it after the wedding.)
Feel free to make a normal cake, or, if you are as insane as me - a wedding cake. Either way you will not be able to stop eating it.
(I apologize for the lack of pictured instructions - I was too nervous about getting everything done perfectly right!)
Red Velvet Cake:
Cake Batter
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pound cream cheese, softened (2- 8 oz containers)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Tip #1: You can make buttermilk by combining 1 tbsp white distilled vinegar with 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for about 10 minutes.
Tip #2: I am adamant about using Mexican (pure) vanilla - I think it is the secret to making most recipes over-the-top amazing. Costco or baking supply stores sell it at a much more reasonable price.
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut out two 9" circles of parchment paper and place them in two 9" cake pans.
2) In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
3) In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.
4) Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.
5) Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans and place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart.
6) Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Tip: I found that these took much longer to bake than 30 minutes and if you stuck it with a toothpick before it was done, the cake would fall. Set the timer for 30 minutes, then touch the cake very softly in the center to see if it bounces back - like a sponge. If it does, check it with a toothpick to ensure the center is completely done.
7) Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. Let cool for about 5 minutes in the pan, then invert the cakes onto a cooling rack.
Tip: If you have the time, freeze the cake overnight. It makes a night and day difference when you try to frost it.
8) While the cakes are cooling (or freezing), make the cream cheese frosting. In a large bowl mix the cream cheese, sugar and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Or if you want a thicker frosting, you can mix it for less time). Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and add the vanilla. Then raise the speed to high once more and mix briefly until fluffy.
9) When the cakes are completely cooled (or frozen), begin to frost the them. First, place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of the plate you would like it served on. Spread some of the cream cheese frosting on the top of the cake, enough to make a 1/4" - 1/2" layer. Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side up, and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting.
(This was my cake, with fondant and all! It will have fresh red roses inserted into each layer of the cake before it will be completely finished....I'll try to post another picture of it after the wedding.)
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