two skinny jenkins

Red Velvet Cake

This has been Joe’s birthday cake every year for the past 20-some years.  This was the first year that I have taken on the task of baking the cake for him.  His mom  reassured me that the recipe impossible to mess up.  This was meant to allay my fears – but it mostly added to them.  I would be the first one to mess it up… especially on a weeknight… especially being just my third cake baking endeavor ever.  In the end, it turned out that my MIL (mother in law) was right, and the cupcakes were DELICIOUS.

• 1/2 Cup butter
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 oz. red food coloring [this is 2 bottles, I only use 1 bottle and then fill the bottle with water and add to make up for the liquid]
• 2 T. cocoa
• 2 1/4 c. plain flour [not cake flour]
• 1 scant t. salt
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 c. buttermilk (I used 4T dried buttermilk and it came out fine – just add it and water as you would regular buttermilk)
  
• 1 t. baking soda [try to get the lumps out before you add it]
• 1 T. vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Grease and flour two 8″ pans [or use cupcake papers if you make cupcakes, or a sheet pan]
3. Cream butter, sugar, and eggs in your mixer with the paddle attachment.
4. Mix together coloring and cocoa and add to mixture.    This stuff is a mess.  My white mixing bowl is now a pretty pink mixing bowl.
   
5. Add salt and flour with buttermilk and vanilla (do not mix any longer than necessary or it will toughen the cake).
6. Alternately add soda and vinegar and don’t beat hard, just blend. Bake in two 8″ greased and floured pans. Layers may be split to make 4.
7. Fill two baking pans or muffin tins.  Bake for 15-20 minutes for cupcakes, 30-40 minutes for cakes.  Cool completely before icing.
   

Frosting for red velvet cake:

• 3 T. flour
• 1 c. milk
• 1 c. butter
  
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 c. granulated sugar

1. Cook flour and milk on low heat until thick. Cool completely.
   
2. Cream sugar and butter and vanilla until fluffy. [You can’t really overdo this stage]
3. Add flour/milk mixture.
4. Beat until mixture is like whipped cream.
5. Spread on layer. Sprinkle with coconut or chopped nuts if desired.
   
6. Keep cake cool (the icing is best cold).