Cooking From the Heart
Red Velvet Cake
This pretty cake from Cleosa is sure to be a hit with your sweetheart.
1/2 Cup shortening
1 1/2 Cups sugar
2 eggs
2 TB cocoa powder
1 fl. oz. (2 TB) red food coloring
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Cup buttermilk
2 1/2 Cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 TB vinegar
Icing:
5 TB flour
1 Cup whole milk
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup butter (2 sticks)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 2 8-inch, heart-shaped cake pans and line with parchment paper. Cream together the shortening
and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. In a small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder and red food coloring to make
a paste. Add to the creamed mixture and beat well. In another bowl, mix the salt, vanilla and buttermilk. Add to the creamed
mixture, alternating with the flour and mix well after each addition. Mix the baking soda and vinegar together. Don't do this
until ready to use. It will foam up and subside. Sprinkle over the top of the batter, and then gently FOLD into the mixture
until the watery liquid disappears. Do not beat or stir. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
Don't open the oven to look as the cake may fall. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from
the pans, peel the parchment paper away, and cool completely on wire racks.
While the cake cools, cook the icing. Combine the flour and milk in a saucepan, whisking together until smooth. Cook over low
heat until thick, stirring constantly. Do not allow lumps to form. This will take about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool
thoroughly, stirring once in awhile during the cooling process. Cream together the sugar, butter and vanilla until light and
fluffy. Add the cooled flour mixture. Beat until the right spreading consistency, about 5 minutes on high speed with an electric
mixer. If in doubt, taste it. If it isn't ready, the sugar will be grainy, but once it is ready it is very smooth.
Spread the icing on the top of one of the layers. Carefully place the other layer on top. Ice the top and sides of the cake.
Prep. time: 30 minutes for cake and frosting
Baking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 12-16