Good Morning,
In my immediate circle of family (Mom, Dad, and Brother), there really weren't too many favorite meals or recipes. I suppose this is in part why I like cereal so much...Instead, we had one treat that made special appearances on birthdays and occasions like Valentines Day--THE RED VELVET CAKE!!!
The red velvet cake aka the "Roosevelt Chapman" cake in honor of a favorite UD men's basketball player in the 80's*, is silky smooth and curious in color. It is a mixture of chocolate and vanilla that like "Velvy Baby" can't be beat!...
While red food coloring provides its deep rich red appearance and the South's Paula Dean perhaps its resurgence in popularity, Mom did one better than the armadillo cake (see groom's cake in the 1989 film Steel Magnolias)...she always made this cake in the shape of a heart. Perfect!!! indeed for Valentine's Day!!!
So...this past weekend inspired by LOVE I finally learned what sound my oven makes when it reaches the pre-set and made my first red velvet cake from scratch!
I thought I'd share "5 Good Things to Know About Making a Cake" for those of you who are also decidedly uncrafty. For those who do know their way around the kitchen, I've provided the recipe for Mom's Red Velvet Cake at the bottom of this e-mail. Just to allay any fears the verdict on this one was/is "yum!" (wheeeewh).
5 Good Things to Know about Making a Cake
1. You must be fully committed to it. There is no half-a**ing it when making a cake from scratch. Once you have recipe in hand, be prepared to go shopping for oddly specific items...Cocoa (unsweetened) means unsweetened...butter (no salt) means without salt... bring an eye for detail. There's also making the cake then baking the cake, then clean up.
2. Much effort goes unnoticed (or gets curiously noticed). You need to be okay with that. For example, on Valentine's Day securing red food coloring...may involve standing on the lower shelf using the neighboring handy cornbread package as a reacher aide...driving around aimlessly looking for a parking spot...asking where they keep white vinegar?...No, it is not cool to recount your frustrations at Wal-Mart.
3. Yes, it's okay to borrow an electric mixer. These puppies will save you time! and rotator cuff injury.
4. Cognitive dissonance. You will experience cognitive dissonance when faced with your cake batter... "an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously" e.g., I'm gonna make the perfect cake! Oh do I love my people!...Can I stick my finger in it?...Do my loved ones really want my germs?...I decided the best thing to do here is take a position (e.g. I am not sticking my finger in the batter) and stick to it.
5. Don't start too late. Things that involve careful measurement, hot ovens, and blood red food coloring are really not great late night activitiezzzz.
And, the recipe!!!
Mom's Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients:
2-1/4 c. flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1 c. buttermilk
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 tbsp. cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 tbsp. red food coloring (1 bottle)
1-1/2 sticks (unsalted butter)
1-1/2 c. sugar
Pre-heat oven 350
Mix
in 1 med. bowl- flour, salt, baking soda
in 1 lrg. bowl- butter (softened), sugar, eggs
in 1 lrg. glass measuring cup- buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar
in 1 sm. bowl- cocoa, red food coloring (mix until makes a paste) *set aside to add last when mixing to prevent staining and splattering)
*stir up, whisk, mix, beat the heck out of everything in it's bowl. then using the ELECTRIC MIXER combine everything in the large bowl adding just enough (about 1/3 of contents) each time to keep a smooth creamy looking mixture. IMPORTANT-finally add the cocoa and red food color paste last. Once everything is incorporated mix on HI for about 2 minutes.
*be sure to use your spatula to keep wiping down batter splatter from insides of mixing bowl
Pour equal amounts batter into 2 pans. square and round. (not sure size)
Bake
25-30 min. use tooth pick test for doneness
Cool
10 min. before removing from pan. to make the heart. cut round cake into equal halves. orient square cake in front of you like a baseball diamond and then stick semicircles on to make heart shape.
Frosting??? Buy 1 or 2 cans of something at the store you like that is white fluffy and spreadable. goes best with cream cheese or butter cream fluffy frosting.
Wheeewh alright. Good luck and Happy Valentine's Day,
Amanda
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