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QueenB- would you mind sharing your recipe for red velvet cake? I've looked all over the internet for a good one and they vary so much. I want to make one this week for a friend's birthday, his request. I've never made one before, so I would like a tried and true one. Thanks!
Queenb, Wishing you lots of luck with your surgery :-) Hope it all goes well!
After typing this out for Yardgnome, I figured I would post it for everyone :)
Sure thing!
Do you have a favorite CC icing recipe or do you need that also? They are all about the same, but I always use the Double Vanilla from Penzey's or put in twice as much; usually that's a bad idea but not this time. I do usually make a batch and a half of icing. I don't actually use a recipe because I've done it so much, but can write it down if need be.
This recipe is one I tinkered with a little until it made me happy; my sister had a cafe way out in the country for a while and all the little old church ladies approved, so I stopped tinkering!
Tips.. allow more time than you think for making this!
WARNING...makes a big cake! Use a huge bowl to mix! It does freeze fine, by the way.
Make sure you use cake flour, not the regular, and use 3 9" pans. Grease and flour the sides and use parchment or wax paper circles on the bottom.
Make sure you let the ingredients sit out long enough to be truly room temperature.
This cake can go from great to kind of dry in a hurry too so try looking thru the glass a few minutes early and test it if it looks done ahead of time. It still tastes
good if it dries out some, but will need more icing if it does. I always use a recipe plus 1/2 of icing because the cake gets really tall.
try to get the icing ready while the cake is still very slightly warm. Ice with a very thin layer so it sort of melts onto the cake. Now let it cool all the way, and make a second pretty thin layer. Let this one dry. Finally, do the actual icing. I do all this to keep the red crumbs from showing-if you know a better way, go to it, and share with me!
The Queen's Red Velvet Cake
preheat oven to 350
Grease and flour sides of pan; place wax-paper circles in the bottom
1/4 cup cocoa
3 oz. red food coloringmix into a paste and set aside; get all the lumps out!
also set aside--
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon vinegar;
do not mix yet.
Sift together in a bowl
4 1/4 c. sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl beat until light colored
2 sticks unsalted butter
Add, one at a time, beating well and scraping after each addition.
5 large eggs
1/2 c sour cream
At low speed, beat in until just combined (mixture will look curdled)
2 cups buttermilk
Add flour mixture in 3 batches beating after each.
Add and beat the coloring paste
Now put the 1 T vinegar and 2 teaspoons baking soda in a bowl, swirl to mix.
Stir rapidly into the cake batter but do not beat.
Divide the batter into the cake pans, and bake 35 to 40 minutes.
Frost with cream cheese icing; sprinkle chopped pecans on the 2 inside layers. You can sprinkle chopped ones on top also, but I think it's prettier to make a 2 rings of pecans on top of the cake (put them side by side, not end-to-end and then make another ring around the middle layer. You do have to make sure they are lined up somewhat so you can slice between them and not tear the cake up, and it takes longer.
This usually takes about 1 cup chopped and 1 cup half pecans to do.
I don't know if this is any better, because it seems as though your way infuses more moisture into the cake. But I'll chime in anyway:Quote:
Originally Posted by queenb
In my cake-decorating class, our teacher had us make a simple glaze of powdered sugar and water, brush it over the completely cooled cake, and let it dry before spreading the real frosting (usually buttercream). This process sealed in the crumbs and provided a smooth surface. She told us that "fondant is cheating!"
Thanks for the recipe, queenb! I love red velvet cake, but have never found a good recipe. We have a dessert diner in town that does a delicious red velvet, but I'd like to be able to make my own.
I'd add this - make sure you remove the wax paper before you assemble the cake. I had a boyfriend whose mother did a cake for someone's birthday and forgot to remove the wax paper from the bottom of each layer - she frosted it and everything. That cake was a bitch to slice! :lol
Thanks for posting Queenb! I can't wait to try this.
Queenb, I am going to give this a try. I usually do not do scratch cakes well, which is why I use mixes.
Good luck with the surgery and keep me posted. You have my phone number and email if you need anything. (BTW, Rosie is VERY fond of her new sleeping pad)
And I am sure you allalready knew..."fondant doesn't taste as good either!":Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellen
I'm sure either method of sealing the cake would work, just make sure to do it. You don't want white icing with red dots throughout!
I do kind of like the melted in icing; I've even made a yellow cake that's going to have white icing, and kept applying jam to the bottom layer and letting it melt until I decide it's enough. Then let the cake cool, warm the remaning jam just a little and make a layer that won't melt in. Put the next layer on top, frost the cake with cream cheese or butter frosting, and put fruit to match the jm all over the cake. This is fun and cute for Spring. You can even slice up some gumdrops and make flowers to go on it.
Red Velvet Cake is a favorite of mine. A Christmas and Valentine's Day tradition.
I like to sprinkle pecans and fresh grated coconut on top of the cream cheese frosting. Don't forget the vanilla ice cream. :biglove
I'll try your recipe queenb, it sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing. :)
I use a quick easy recipe that was given to me by a friend of my Mom's.
I'll post it in the recipe thread.
Had a nice, cold 12 oz. bottle of V-8 Vegetable Juice, and it just hit the spot. I am still heartbroken that I don't have a lot more!! :sad That is the BEST stuff!!