RED VELVET CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

RED VELVET CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING




For cake:

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 tablespoons baking soda

Pinch salt

1/2 cup shortening

4 large eggs

1 3/4 cup cake flour

1 1/2 tablespoons red cocoa powder OR cocoa powder

1/2 cup beet juice

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup water

1 tablespoon vanilla

For frosting:

3 cups cream cheese

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla



Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 F.



Add sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and shortening to bowl of mixer

with fitted with paddle attachment and cream lightly 5 minutes. Slowly add

eggs into bowl, scrape mixture down sides of bowl with rubber spatula.



Sift cake flour and cocoa powder together, add to mixture in bowl and mix 2

minutes. Combine beet juice, buttermilk, water and vanilla. Add to mixture

in bowl and blend 3 minutes. Scrape excess mixture down sides of bowl.



Cut 3 parchment paper rounds that fit perfectly in bottom of 3 10-inch round

cake pans. Grease bottom of cake pans and insert rounds. Pour cake batter

into rounds until each is 3/4 full. Smooth top of batter with spatula and

gently tap pan on counter to settle batter.



Bake each cake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist

crumbs attached, about 20 to 25 minutes, rotating position of pans halfway

through baking. Let cakes cool completely in pans, about 2 hours.



Meanwhile, make frosting. Combine cream cheese and butter in mixer for

approximately 4 minutes, or until creamy. Lightly sift powdered sugar and

blend into mixture. Scrap down sides of bowl. Add vanilla to mixture; beat

until mixture is light and fluffy.



Run paring knife around edge of each cooled cake and flip out onto wire

rack. Peel off parchment paper, then place 1 cake onto serving platter. If

cake is not flat, use serrated knife to trim top to evenness. Trim tops of

other 2 cakes to evenness.



Using metal spatula, frost first layer on top only. Then add second layer,

frost, then add third cake layer. Once all three layers are stacked, frost

sides and top lightly -- you are creating a base coat and will add second

coat.



With remaining frosting, coat sides of cake with frosting, smoothing as you

go. Finally, refrost top of cake and smooth out imperfections with spatula.

Serves 16.