Food Friday

Remember when I mentioned that I had the best ever red velvet cake recipe? Have you been waiting with bated breath? You are in luck! Today I bring you red velvet cake, um, well, there's a catch. My son doesn't do well with the red food coloring, so I bring you...Velvet cake (sans red). But it's easy to convert back, just add red food coloring.

Here we go.

You will need...
1 1/2 C Sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 C shortening, 2 C flour, 1 T cocoa, 1 t salt, 2 oz. red food coloring (or water), 1 t soda, 1 T vinegar, 1 C buttermilk, and 1 t vanilla.

First cream together the sugar and shortening. Then add your red color if you want a RED velvet cake. Otherwise add 2 oz. of water (or blue coloring or green coloring or whatever flips your skirt). Blend.

Because I had nothing else in my kitchen that would measure in ounces, I had to use this...

Now add your eggs, one at a time. Then add the buttermilk. And mix.


Now it's time for the dry ingredients. If you noticed in the first photo that I accidentally pulled out my canning salt, oops. Here is what I really used.


Sift together flour, cocoa, salt, and sugar. This is how I sift, but if you have a real sifter, all the better.


Beat, and then beat some more. I have a KitchenAid mixer, so I just turn it on and let it go for awhile (usually about 4-5 minutes). Add the vanilla.


Now for the science experiment part. What fun!
In a small bowl (or cup, whatever) dissolve the soda in the vinegar. Stir (do not beat) it into the batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean). Or make cupcakes. Just keep an eye on them because they won't need to bake as long. Start the icing (recipe below).


Yum. Now here is where I really miss that red food color. While the finished product tasted just as good. It wasn't as beautiful.


Now for the icing. You will need 1 C milk, 1/4 C flour, 1/4 t salt, 1 C shortening, 2 t vanilla, 1 bag of powdered sugar (I usually go with the 2 lb bag, but don't put quite all of it in).

In a sauce pan mix the flour and salt, add the milk gently and slowly while whisking. cook on med heat until it thickens. Cool.


After it cools, add shortening, sugar and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. I generally add the shortening and beat, then add the sugar a bit at a time until it reaches the texture and flavor I'm looking for. With this batch I realized that I was out of regular shortening, so I went with the butter flavor. It worked really well and the color was more complimentary to the lighter brown of the cupcakes.


I pulled out my old cake decorating stuff and played with it a bit. I'm in no way professional (as you can see), but it was fun. And, though you can't tell from the photos, the icing is a really pretty pale, pale yellow.