Red Velvet Cake
Credit: André Baranowski
FOR THE CAKE:
1 tbsp. butter:
2 1/2 cups plus 12 tbsp. cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. (1 oz.) red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. white distilled vinegar
FOR THE FROSTING:
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
12 oz. butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease three 8" round cake pans with butter. Dust with 2 tbsp. of the flour and set aside. Sift remaining flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt into a bowl. Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar in a bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake cakes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 25–30 minutes. Let cakes cool for 5 minutes, then invert each onto a plate, then invert again onto a rack. Let cakes cool.
2. For the frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add sugar and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 5–7 minutes.
3. Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate; spread one-quarter of the frosting on top. Set another layer on top and repeat frosting. Set remaining layer on top and frost top and sides with the remaining frosting. Press pecans into the sides of the cake.
MAKES ONE 8" CAKE













i love red velvet cake and it has been part of our family celebrations for over 100 years (literally!)
however you may be interested in knowing that the frosting recipe is not the original and in our family we adamantly maintained that the frosting was the reason for the cake's sublime flavor.
the original recipe calls for a mixture of crisco and butter and powdered sugar. really, really compliments the cake.
i love red velvet cake and it has been part of our family celebrations for over 100 years (literally!)
however you may be interested in knowing that the frosting recipe is not the original and in our family we adamantly maintained that the frosting was the reason for the cake's sublime flavor.
the original recipe calls for a mixture of crisco and butter and powdered sugar. really, really compliments the cake.
But even if I try this recipe I would NEVER consider the thought of an icing made with Crisco...that's just wrong!
Re flour typo - am guessing it's 2-1/2 cups plus 2 tbs flour. Why not just use weights? Cups are so inaccurate.
the first time I commented!)