Red Velvet Cake for a Birthday Boy

Yesterday we celebrated hubby's birthday and by celebrate I mean we went for dinner to his favorite restaurant and ate a lot of food. We also ate this fabulous cake that is a deep red and tastes so much of cocoa. It is moist and a dream to work with.

Since his birthday fell in the middle of the week I had somehow completely forgotten about it and remembered only on 17th night. That too when my brother reminded me (hangs head in shame).

I had no time to make complicated cakes like the Black And White chocolate Cake or the Boston Cream Pie I had made in previous years. I had to quickly think of an easy cake to make, one that did'nt require too much effort and looked fab on its own. Immediately I thought 'Red Velvet' and googled for a recipe. I came across Smitten Kitchen's awesome recipe and made half the quantity in two 8 inch pans. Red Velvety goodness!

Since it was last minute and I didn't have frosting ingredients I decided to go the easy way and use whipped cream. I had some frozen whipping cream which I thawed overnight in the fridge. When I put it in the mixer bowl to whip, it just refused to do anything. In a panic I raided my cupboards and came upon my saviour - Dream Whip! Eeks, I know, but it whipped up perfectly and saved the day.

Recipe Source - Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients - Makes Two 8 inch layers

1 3/4 Cups Cake Flour
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa (not Dutch process)
3/4 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Sunflower Oil
1 Cup + 2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
2 Medium Eggs
1/2 Tsp Red Gel Food Coloring dissolved in 3 Tbsp Water Or 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) liquid red food coloring
3/4 Tsp Vanilla Essence
2/3 Cup Buttermilk
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1 1/4 Tsp White Vinegar
Butter for greasing pans.

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F). Grease the bottom and sides of pans and place a round of parchment on the bottom. 
2. Whisk the 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. With machine on low, very slowly add red food coloring. (Take care: it may splash.) Add vanilla. Add flour mixture alternating with buttermilk beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.
4. Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine running. Beat for 10 seconds.
5. Divide batter among pans, place in oven and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pans 20 minutes. Then remove from pans, flip layers over and peel off parchment. Cool completely before frosting.

Happy Eating!