> Everyday > Blogs > Back to the Table

Treat Your Mother to Red Velvet

Posted Tue, May 08, 2007, 9:34 am PDT
POST A COMMENT »
For all that mothers do, every day should be Mother's Day in my opinion. They certainly deserve it! To show your appreciation for their love and support, treat them on their day of honor to a dessert that is as beautiful and special as they are. Of course, this is also for any mother who wants to pamper herself, as well as her family and friends. But remember the rule, ladies -- if you make it, you get the first (and last) piece! [wink]

My cousin Rena makes this recipe, and it's my favorite Red Velvet Cake ever. I am honored to include it in my new cookbook, Back to the Family: Food Tastes Better with Ones You Love.

To my mother, Addie Mae, and to all the mothers of the world, I wish you a Happy Mother's Day -- and may all your days be as wonderful as Red Velvet Cake.

RENA JONES THORNTON'S RED VELVET CAKE
Makes 12 servings

2 extra large eggs
2 cups sugar
1-2 ounces red food coloring
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2½ cups sifted cake flour
1¼ teaspoons salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon butter flavoring
½ teaspoon plus a pinch of baking soda
1¼ tablespoons white vinegar
Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Set aside.

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar together until well combined. Add the food coloring and cocoa, mixing well. Add the butter and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour and salt. Slowly add to the creamed mixture. Add the buttermilk and butter flavoring, mixing well.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda, stirring until the soda dissolves. Add to the creamed mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake about 20 minutes, or until the cakes spring to the touch of the finger. You can make more layers by slicing the cakes horizontally, making them even thinner. Let the layers cool completely on wire racks before icing with Cream Cheese Frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Makes about 3 cups

¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 pound sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Using a mixer, completely whip the softened butter and cream cheese.

Reduce the mixer speed and slowly incorporate the powdered sugar, then add the vanilla. Spread on cooled layers.

Average (23 Ratings): 4 out of 5 stars

9 Comments

  • 1. Posted by Tony Lee on Tue, May 08, 2007, 5:27 pm PDT

    sounds great - I think I'll try to make some cupcakes with this recipe with some help from the kids.

    Report Abuse
  • 2. Posted by Shrek on Wed, May 09, 2007, 2:10 pm PDT

    nice cupcakes.

    Report Abuse
  • 3. Posted by nesmith52 on Tue, May 15, 2007, 3:59 pm PDT

    Save yourself a lot of trouble and make the cake with a boxed Red Velvet cake mix. I tried to make one from scratch for a friend's birthday and I am an experienced cook and it turned out awful. The texture and taste were nasty. My friend ate a piece to be nice, but I would not have blamed him if he spit it out. I had to throw over half the cake away because nobody would eat it. We just scraped the cream cheese frosting off and ate that. The frosting is awesome. Next time I got a boxed Red Velvet cake mix (Duncan Hines) and used the cream cheese frosting on it and it was a big hit. Not one piece left, and several requests for the recipe. Sometimes easy is better.

    Report Abuse
  • 4. Posted by RUTH H H on Wed, Dec 12, 2007, 6:32 pm PST

    question: How do you measure regular flour when the cake call for cake flour?

    Report Abuse
  • 5. Posted by sammi on Fri, Dec 14, 2007, 10:37 am PST

    I may try it

    Report Abuse
  • 6. Posted by Bonita C. on Mon, Dec 17, 2007, 7:58 pm PST

    ruth, i recommend you use cake flour,you can use the regular flour and sift it yourself but the cake will not turn out as moist and fluffy as it would when you use cake flour

    Report Abuse
  • 7. Posted by dark star* on Mon, Feb 04, 2008, 8:48 pm PST

    I also made a red velvet cake from scratch, my husbands grandmother's recipe, not the best. maybe i will try again

    Report Abuse
  • 8. Posted by chefglennchef on Sun, Feb 17, 2008, 9:24 am PST

    I am going to try it i will let you know .

    Report Abuse
  • 9. Posted by halo78 on Thu, May 08, 2008, 7:15 am PDT

    yummy

    Report Abuse

LEAVE YOUR COMMENT

You must sign in to leave a comment

Yahoo! Food Videos

Most Watched Food Videos

My Food

help

Recipe of the Day

Open
Cilantro Egg Salad

Cilantro Egg Salad

from: DawnDrake

Average (26 Ratings): 3.5 out of 5 stars

This is a fresh variation on an old classic. Egg salad is spiced up with fresh cilantro and…

Recent Activity

Open

Keep track of what you've seen recently

Articles
No recently viewed items
Recipes
No recently viewed items
Searches
No recently viewed items