Red Velvet Cake Appreciation Day

Dear reader,

I wish you the happiest Red Velvet Cake Appreciation Day, which as we all know is February 14th. I hope you take the time to make and share this tricked out confection with all those you like, like-like, and even love. Definitely, don't share the scrumptiousness with frenemies-- since we all know that fruit cake is the official cake for those people. You can learn more about the history of red velvet cake here because it's way too extensive for me to summarize. The short version is that the combination of tangy, sweet, and delicately cocoa-y has enchanted Americans for several decades and continues to do so today. I have only taken the time to make this cake for my dearest friends and family. It may be a little work, and you will end up with red dye somewhere you didn't want it, but the final product is unrivaled. I've scoured the internet and made several different recipes, but this one is, without question, the best! There was even a scientific trial performed to demonstrate the recipe's superiority.

Red Velvet Cake

Makes 36 Cupcakes

3 1/2 cups cake flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa + 1 Tablespoon (not Dutch process)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cups canola oil

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon red gel food coloring dissolved in 6 tablespoons of water

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/4 cup buttermilk*

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 3 Cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
   
2. Whisk cake flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl.
   
3. Place oil and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed until well-blended. Beat in eggs one at a time. Turn mixer off and slowly add red food coloring and vanilla.
   
4. Turn mixer on low and allow to mix for 30 seconds.
   
5. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches. Scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.
   
6. Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine running. Beat for 10 seconds.
   
7. Fill cupcake liners up 2/3 of the way full.
   
8. Bake for 20 minutes

*Instead of buying buttermilk, you can also use regular milk with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice stirred in. This will cause the milk to curdle, but don’t worry. Allow this mixture to sit a couple of minutes before using it.

Fluffy Cream Cheese Icing

Makes Enough to Frost 36 Cupcakes

8 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temp

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened at room temp

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

4 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar, sifted

1. Place cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat and high speed until fluffy.
2. Beat in vanilla and salt
3. Add the Confectioner’s Sugar in slowly in batches
4. Beat until fluffy
   

Red Velvet Cake Recipe Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

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