Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake seems to be the favorite among Southerners. I have never seen or tasted this cake until I came to Savannah years ago. And certainly in Korea, we do not have such colorful cake.

Yesterday was Hannah's last day in IPC kitchen. Like most young and gifted people, she is moving onto bigger and better things in life, which I am very glad to see. It was her last wish as a designated IPC baker to make her favorite cake: Red Velvet. Intense red coloring is a bit scary, but if you want to make a statement with your dessert, this is it.


As a joke, Hannah decorated her beautiful cake for John Childress. I don't have enough space here to explain who John Childress is, but when you meet him, you will know why he is so well loved by our congregation.

To her last day in IPC kitchen, Hannah was a blessing. She will be fine where ever she goes. Her cheerfulness with childlike giggles and thoughtfulness to always think of others will carry her far in life.

It was my pleasure to be part of her life for a year to teach her how to cook and act as her older sister. Gosh, I am going to miss her!


Red Velvet Cake

Cake
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured), 7.5 oz
1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs

Frosting
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

For cake: Make sure you sift the flour mixture!

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides or line the bottom of pan with parchment paper. Sift sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, sour cream, and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in dry ingredients in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 3 additions.

Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 27 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely.

For frosting:

Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over top of cake. Arrange 1 basket raspberries and 1/2 basket blueberries atop frosting, pressing lightly to adhere. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange remaining berries decoratively over top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)