Thursday, October 8, 2009

Red Velvet Cake



For some reason my Mom made Red Velvet Cake for me and my twin brother every year on our birthday (even when he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes she made two versions, one with sugar substitutes). It's still my favorite and I crave it every year around September. I finally got the recipe from her so I made a cake (a little belatedly) for my 35th birthday (Allen arranged the candy decorations). It didn't turn out quite as good as I remember but it was better than the Red Velvet cupcakes and cakes I've tried recently and I'll certainly make it again soon.

My Mom was a Home Ec teacher for a number of years and it turns out this recipe is from a '70s book titled "Favorite Recipes from Home Economic Teachers - Dessert Edition, including party beverages." Who wouldn't trust Home Ec teachers to come up with the best dessert recipes from the 70s! (I'll have to take a picture of the cookbook cover for a later post, it's vintage and classic.) I'd like to pull a Julie and Julia and make a butter laden recipe a day for the next year, though I'd skip the blogging in lieu of the eating. Anyway, enough with the reminiscing...here's the recipe:

Red Velvet Cake (Waldorf)
1/2 cup shortening (stick margarine or butter)
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 oz red food coloring
2 Tbs cocoa
2 1/4 cup plain flour
1 scant tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp butter flavor (if desired)

Cream shortening, sugar and eggs. Make a paste with coloring and cocoa and add to mixture. Add salt and flour with buttermilk and vanilla. Alternately add soda and vinegar and don't beat hard, just blend. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Bake in two 8" pans greased and floured. Layers may be split to make 4.

Frosting:
3 Tbsp flour
1 cup butter, oleo or shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar

Cook flour and milk on low heat until thick. Cool. Cream sugar, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Add to flour and milk mixture. (Be sure flour and milk mixture is cool first!) Beat until mixture is like whipped cream. Spread on layers.