Valentine's Day Red Velvet Cake

I've had a total crush on red velvet cake since I first tried it. Some people say it's just chocolate cake with red food coloring. I disagree. The buttermilk and vinegar add a depth of flavor that basic chocolate cake just doesn't have. I just love it.

Originally dutch processed cocoa was used and the acidic reaction of the vinegar and buttermilk brought out the red anthocyanin in the cocoa powder. It's true and it's science! I've tried multiple recipes; southern versions, english versions, martha versions, I've tried them all. This recipe is the result of trial and error combining the styles and processes I like best. I hope you enjoy it.  Here's the printable recipe.

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 For the cake you'll need:

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans

2 ½ cups cake flour, plus more for pans

1 ½ cups sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 oz red food coloring

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8" cake pans. Line with parchment and butter again.

Dust with flour, knocking out excess. Be sure to get the excess out of the corners or it rounds out the edges of your cake.

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, make a paste with cocoa, salt, vanilla and food coloring. Add to creamed butter.

Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour, alternating with buttermilk.  Beat on low speed until well combined.

In a small bowl combine vinegar and baking soda; add to batter. Beat on medium speed for 10 seconds, being careful not to overbeat.  Divide batter between prepared pans and bake until a cake tester (or tooth pick) inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove pans from oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

For the frosting you'll need:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat together butter and cream cheese until well combined. Slowly add sugar, then vanilla, and beat until smooth.

*These measurements depend on how much frosting you like. This is enough for a perfectly fine amount of frosting. I like a generous amount of frosting in the middle and on top, so I usually do one and half times this recipe. One recipe is just a little short but two recipes is definitely too much. Try with one first and see how it goes. You can always make more.

Fold an 8" parchment round in half, cut a tear drop shape and unfold to make a heart template.  

Using a serrated knife, trim cakes so that they're level then cut out heart shape using your template, one at a time, saving what you've cut off. 

Before you start stacking, here are a couple tips for a more successful layer cake.
-Freeze your layers, on a flat surface, for at least an hour beforehand. For this cake, I froze them after I trimmed them. I promise it won't ruin the texture of your cake.
-Place strips of parchment or waxed paper a few inches wide, just under the edge of your cake, covering your plate while frosting. When you're done, you can just pull them out and your plate is nice and clean.
-Do a crumb coat, which is a thin layer of frosting that doesn't have to be pretty. I used to skip this step, but it really makes a difference. Then chill your cake with the crumb coat for at least 30 minutes before frosting with the final layer. The end product will be much prettier and the final frosting layer goes on much easier. It really is worth your time.
Now back to baking!

Place one cake layer on a cake plate or cardboard round. Putting a dab of frosting on the plate first will keep your cake from sliding around. Spread your first layer with 1/3 of your frosting.  Add second layer on top, spreading with remaining frosting to cover top and sides.

This is my crumb coat, as exhibited by all the crumbs. 

In a small bowl, mash cake trimmings with a fork until it's all crumbs. Cover frosted cake with crumbs. This is a messy, messy, process. The sides can be tricky. I find using a cupped hand full of crumbs patted along the side works well. You will be very thankful for those parchment strips on this one. I used a pastry brush to remove the last few stray crumbs from the plate after I pulled out the parchment. Move to refrigerator until ready to serve.

Big pile of crumbs!

It's hard to see because my cake taker is red. Bummer.

I love this cake. That sounds like a pun, but it's not. It's my favorite cake. I was sick when I worked on this one and made myself this tiny guy to cheer myself up. It worked.

This cake is adorable and always a hit. Enjoy!