Anticipation

I enjoy celebrating other people's birthdays more than my own --especially when I'm responsible for the cake because baking is rather therapeutic for me. I don't mind all the whisking, beating, and folding by hand. However, I'm always worried about the final result because I'm prone to overbaking and that's an irreparable glitch I've experienced ever so much. But I always imagine the faces of those taking their first bite of my food and their eyes widening from the pleasure experienced by their taste buds and their mouths widening for a bigger next bite. This prevents me from giving up.
For my cousin's birthday, I decided to stray away from the traditional white cake we are accustomed to and baked a decadent red velvet cake from scratch. With high expectations, she jokingly asked me if it was going to be edible.

And the unanimous verdict was that it was very edible.

Red Velvet Cake


Ingredients:
for the cake:
2 1/3 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons red food coloring
for the frosting:
16 oz. cold cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
4 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups confectioner's sugar (I only used half the amount called for because I prefer mildly sweet frosting)
Optional:
1 1/2 cups toasted pecans

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees [F]. Grease and flour two 9 x 2-inch round cake pans.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy and gradually add sugar until mixture is light and fluffy. Whisk together the vanilla and eggs and gradually add that into the butter mixture.
Beating at low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 parts. Add the food coloring after the first pouring of buttermilk. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary to incorporate the ingredients thoroughly.
Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 25-30 minutes. (see below for frosting directions)

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla at low speed until well blended. Add the confectioner's sugar in increments and I would suggest tasting as you go so the frosting doesn't end up too sweet. But of course, if you feel the need to satisfy your sweet tooth, add as much as you want.

To frost the cake, make sure your cakes have completely cooled on a rack before you start. Frost a thin coating of frosting as your base layer ("crumb layer") to seal in the crumbs. Set aside to chill for 10 minutes or so in the refrigerator. When it is ready for the final frosting, liberally spread the frosting on the cake and be as elaborative as you want with your design. I toasted some pecans to add a more professional flare to my cake and also to enhance the mingling of flavors in your mouth with the richness of the cake and nuttiness of the pecans.

It was lovely.