Romantic Red Velvet Cake

My husband and I met in Italy. I was 17 (almost 18) and he was 19. We had both just graduated from high school (they go to school until grade 13 here). We had heard of each other for years, in fact our parents tried to get us to be pen pals when we were younger (see this post), but it was the first time we had officially met. He says that when I got out of the van and he saw me for the first time, he turned to his friend Gino and said, “I am such an idiot!”- wishing that he had taken the time to write me all those years before.

Everyone always oohs and aahs when I tell them that we met and fell in love in Italy, one of the most romantic places in the world. It’s funny how we fell in love though… it was in the simplest of manners. It was in the canals of venice or walking through the Roman forum (both of which we have since done together). We were there with a church group and so we were working and serving together. Helping the community and the people around us and I just loved watching the way he served. He was kind, and generous, and always ready to help anyone and everyone who was in need. Thinking about it now, I am not sure how we managed to get to know each other as well as we did. His english was mediocre, and my Italian was almost non existent! But we did. A little confession here on my part, I have a small bladder. I mean I need to use the bathroom very often. And this, in the end, was the reason we had a lot of time alone to talk and get to know each other! He would have to walk me to find a bathroom in the city at least once every evening. We talked, and we watched each other. It’s funny, but I think that watching him, convinced me more than any one thing he said. I could tell just by watching him that he had a really big heart.

I didn’t learn until much later how to make a red velvet cake, but I think it remains one of the most romantic cake flavors. Maybe it is the red color, or the rich cream cheese frosting, but it is one of those cakes that is perfect for an anniversary celebration or for Valentine’s day. This may be the best red velvet cake I have ever tasted! It is humid and fluffy and has a wonderfully light flavour, allowing you to taste both the butter and the cocoa. And you will never guess what the secret ingredient is!

Ingredients & Procedure:

CREAM (2-4 mins):

1 cup (225 g) LIGHT BROWN SUGAR (packed)
1 cup (200g) WHITE GRANULATES SUGAR
3/4 cup unsalted room temperature BUTTER
1 tablespoon RED FOOD COLORING GEL

ADD & CREAM (2 mins):

3 EGGS

MIX DRY INGREDIENTS IN A SEPARATE BOWL (whisk w fork):

2 1/2 cups FLOUR
1 tsp SALT
1 tablespoon Cocoa Powder

ALTERNATE:

1 1/2 cups BUTTERMILK + 1 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT
AND your dry ingredients. Beginning and ending with your dry ingredients.

FOLD INTO YOUR BATTER:

1/4 cup MAYONNAISE

MIX IN A SMALL BOWL AND ADD QUICKLY TO THE BATTER:

1 tablespoon VINEGAR
1 1/4 teaspoons of BAKING SODA

Butter and line four 8 inch round cake pans with parchment rounds and then dust your pans with flour, tapping off the excess. You can cook two at a time, but that depends on how many pans you have.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Divide the batter evenly between the first two pans. Bake in the oven on the center rack for approximately 20 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean or with dry crumbs on it, not goopy.

Cook the second two cake rounds.

Mount your cake however you like it!

Red velvet is great covered in chocolate ganache , with Nutella and whipped cream layers, or in a classic cream cheese frosting. It is amazing in a raspberry cream cheese frosting with raspberry whipped cream filling as pictured in the photo below.

FROSTING:

1/2 cup BUTTER (room temperature)
8oz CREAM CHEESE
1 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT
1/2 cup FRESH RASPBERRIES
4 cups POWDERED SUGAR

Place butter and cream cheese and 1 cup of powdered sugar in mixer. Start creaming these ingredients. Slowly continue adding the powdered sugar until you have added all 4 cups. Add heavy cream as needed until you reach the desired consistency (usually 1-4 tablespoons). Lastly add your raspberries.

FILLING:

FRESH WHIPPING CREAM
RASPBERRIES

As you begin to mount your whipping cream: when it begins to become more thick and creamy begin adding your raspberries and whip until you reach desired consistency.

CUPCAKES: You can also make them in cupcake form! They are equally delicious. I just bake them at a little lower temperature for less time with the exact same ingredients! They come out perfectly!!