Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake is my absolute favorite.  There is a real yummy cupcake store in my town that make the best Red Velvet.  I decided, "Heck, instead of spending $4.00 per cupcake, I can just make my own!"  Well that is false, but this recipe comes the closest (and I've tried a few).  I got this recipe from another blog and give them full credit, but I did make a change to the recipe.  This recipe called for a frosting that is cooked on the stove, not the typical cream cheese frosting we now associate with red velvet.  So I did a little research.  Turns out, waaaay back in the day, red velvet cakes were not made with cream cheese frosting, this developed some time later.  So historically, red velvet cake was made with this other cooked frosting.  Personally, I prefer the cream cheese frosting and will be making it that way instead next time.  This frosting is still yummy, but to me, red velvet and cream cheese are the perfect match.  Another fun fact: The red color of the cake use to come from beets!  Ewwww

Ingredients

• 1 cup Shortening
• 1-3/4 cup Sugar
• 2-1/2 cups Cake Flour
• 1-1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Vinegar
• 1-1/2 ounce, fluid Red Food Coloring
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Cocoa Powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large (18 x 12) sheet cake pan with nonstick baking spray. Be sure to get in all the corners of the pan.  Sift together cake flour and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, stir together buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda. Add vinegar and stir. Set aside.

In a separate small bowl, mix together cocoa and red food coloring. Set aside.

Cream together shortening and sugar until fluffy. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk/egg mixture until all combined. Pour the red mixture in and beat until combined.

Pour batter into prepared sheet cake pan. Use a large offset spatula or knife to even out the surface. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven and allow cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Allow cake to cool completely before icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

For options, here is the other frosting that was recommended:

Ingredients

• 5 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 cup Butter
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar (not Powdered Sugar!)

Instructions

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix is. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (I put mine in the freezer to cool while I prepared the next step and that was the perfect amount of time.) It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step. Stir in vanilla.
While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. You don't want any sugar graininess left. Then add the completely cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat it  until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

ENJOY!