‘Velvety’ Recipe Swap returns

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/09/2010 (5812 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AS the new Recipe Swap columnist, I’m looking forward to getting into the kitchen with you. I love baking — I’m currently trying to replicate my mom’s pie crust — I’m a little nervous about canning, but I’m up for anything.

Because of our summer hiatus, we have a backlog of requests but no suggestions from readers yet. I’ve hunted through some cookbooks and websites to answer Diana Friesen, who’s looking for red velvet cake like they make at Sal’s.

Red velvet cake is often associated with the American south, especially since an appearance in the 1989 movie Steel Magnolias, but it’s always had a faithful following in Winnipeg.

Some recipes try to fancy things up with mascarpone icing or the heretical addition of cinnamon, but most bakers agree on the basics: A red velvet cake needs tang from buttermilk and vinegar, along with — let’s face it — kooky amounts of red food colouring.

The main doctrinal difference is between oil — which makes for a denser cake — and butter — which gives a lighter crumb. I’ve included recipes for both.

For next week, we have requests for cheesecake like Eaton’s used to make, veggie burgers like those served at the North Star Drive-in and breadsticks a la Paradise Restaurant. Any suggestions?

 If you can help with a recipe request, have your own request, or a favourite recipe you’d like to share, send an email to recipeswap@freepress.mb.ca, fax it to 697-7412, or write to Recipe Swap, c/o Alison Gillmor, Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6. Please include your first and last name, address and telephone number.

 

Red Velvet Cake 1 (adapted from cookiemadness.net)

 2 1/4 cups cake and pastry flour, sifted and then measured (very important!)

4 tb cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 tb red food colouring

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 eggs

1 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp baking soda

 

Icing

2 8-oz packages cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 tb vanilla

2 1/2 cups icing sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour two 9-inch round pans.

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in bowl. Combine buttermilk, food colouring and vanilla in another bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, beating after each addition. Add flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Stir until smooth. Mix vinegar and baking soda in a cup. As it fizzes, add to the batter and stir. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then turn onto a rack. Cool completely and then frost. For icing, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Add vanilla and beat. Add icing sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.

 

Red Velvet Cake 2 (adapted from suite101.com)

 3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 tsp vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tb cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup canola oil

2 eggs

1 tsp white vinegar

I tsp red food colouring

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8×8 square pan.

Combine buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream sugar and oil until well blended. Add eggs, beating after each addition. Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately, beginning and ending with flour.

Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Cool and then frost as above, halving the recipe.

 

Taste tester’s notes: I found the layers of the first cake tricky to get out of the pan. Be sure to grease and flour very generously. The second cake is relatively light on food colouring; you might want to add more if you want that bright lipstick-pink hue. For the icing, make sure the cream cheese is very, very soft, or you’ll end up with incredibly stubborn lumps.