Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake, a bright red colored cake with attractive white frosting tempts you to have a bite whenever I happen to see it. This cake is one of my favorite cakes. This cake has a mild chocolate flavor with a moist tender crumb, which is achieved by adding a small amount of cocoa powder and buttermilk. Traditionally, it is topped with cream cheese frosting. I too tried the same and the combination was heavenly. Now, here comes the recipe!

Ingredients

All Purpose Flour (APF) - 2 1/2 cups
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups

Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp, skip if using salted butter
Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 2
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Buttermilk - 1 cup
Red food coloring - 2 tbsp (liquid)
White distilled vinegar - 1 tsp

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream cheese - 8 oz, room temperature
Mascarpone cheese - 8 oz, room temperature
Powdered sugar - 1 cup
Heavy whipping cream (double cream) - 1 1/2 cups
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Take two-9 inch round pans, butter and line with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, sift and stir together APF, cocoa powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the butter until soft, add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as and when needed.
3. In a separate cup, whisk the buttermilk with red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed alternately add the flour and the colored buttermilk to the butter mixture. 
4. In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda, allow to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.
5. Divide the batter evenly to the two prepared pans, smooth the top with a spatula and bake for 25-30 mins or until the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Cool down the cakes completely on a wire rack and then wrap them in a cling wrap and refrigerate atleast for an hour. This helps for easy frosting. Once cooled, do the frosting and enjoy every bit of it!!

Reference: JoyOfBaking