Red Velvet Cake by Chef Andy
Baking and Desserts | Author's cuisine
⏳ Time
2 hours + 2 hours
🥕 Ingredients
11
🍽️ Servings
6
Description
Red Velvet Cake by Chef Andy
Ingredients
- Wheat Flour - 12 oz
- Sugar - 10.6 oz
- Cocoa Powder - 1 tablespoon
- Salt - ¼ spoons
- Activated Baking Soda - 1 tablespoon
- Baking Powder - 2 spoons
- Chicken Egg - 3 pieces
- Vegetable Oil - 10 fl oz
- 10% cream - 5 fl oz
- 20% Sour Cream - 5.3 oz
- Red Food Coloring - 2 spoons
Step by Step guide
Step 1
The dough is so simple that there are no specific criteria for when to add the ingredients. I didn't even turn on the mixer until I added the final ingredient. In a bowl, combine 340 g of flour, 300 g of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
Step 2
Next, three eggs and 300 grams of neutral vegetable oil.
Step 3
Finally, you need to add buttermilk (280 g). I replaced it with heavy cream (150 g) and sour cream (130 g), but you can simply use a richer kefir. Also, add red food coloring.
Step 4
For this amount of dough, I used about 1.5-2 teaspoons of gel food coloring. Don’t hold back here; the dough should be a vibrant red color. Mix everything well using a mixer.
Step 5
The batter will be quite runny, but don't worry, that's how it should be. Let it sit for about 10–20 minutes; the baking soda needs some time to react with the dairy ingredient.
Step 6
Grease the baking pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper. Then pour in the required amount of batter. I made three layers, each 16 cm in diameter, or you can make two layers, each 18 cm. To be truly professional, first weigh the empty bowl, and then weigh the bowl with the prepared batter. Through some simple calculations, you will determine how much batter to pour into the pan for each layer.
Step 7
Bake at 338°F for about 20 minutes. Keep a close eye on it. I started checking with a skewer at the 15-minute mark. As soon as it came out clean, I removed the pan. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 2 minutes, then carefully transfer the cake to the rack.
Step 8
Cool the pan (I just rinse it with cold water), grease it with butter again, add parchment paper to the bottom, and you're good to go. Once the cake layers have cooled, wrap each one in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Step 9
After two hours, take the cakes out and carefully trim the tops — they will likely have risen a bit in the center. Notice how airy the cake is. And just how delicious it is. Now you can spread cream on the cakes and assemble the cake. I'll show you how I did it.
Step 10
To make the naked cake look beautiful, it is necessary to trim the edges (they brown in the oven and become more brown than red). You can simply cut off a thin layer with a knife, but I used a metal ring - the only way to ensure all the layers are the same shape and size.
Step 11
Repeat the same process with the remaining layers. I’ll emphasize, if you plan to frost it on the outside, don’t trim the sides; nobody will notice anyway.
Step 12
I used a creamy frosting that you are well acquainted with. It will be perfect for piping little roses on top — a blend of bold red and delicate white.
Step 13
If you've followed my path, prepare deep dessert cups or wide glasses. Tear the leftover cake layers into small pieces, about 2-3 cm, using your hands, and layer them with cream until you reach the top. This is a great way to use up all the scraps (not just in this recipe). The taste will remain the same, but you'll end up with two desserts.
Step 14
For the amount of dough for the layers (2-4 layers, each 1.5 to 2.5 cm thick):
Step 15
Diameter of the mold (cm) 16-18 20-22 24+ servings of dough 1 2 3
Step 16
Cream: cream cheese — 340 g. Butter — 115 g. Powdered sugar — 100 g. Vanilla extract — 2 tsp.
Step 17
This cream is incredibly simple — you don't need any special skills or complicated techniques, it's all straightforward. And here is the most important and only rule — very cold cream cheese, very soft butter.
Step 18
In other words, it's best to keep the cheese in the refrigerator overnight so that it is cold and firm enough. On the other hand, the butter should be left out at room temperature on the kitchen counter for a couple of hours (or overnight) to become soft and pliable. Only under these conditions will you achieve an excellent cream with a delicate texture and flavor. The process is very simple — combine the ingredients in a bowl and beat with a mixer until smooth. This will take about 5-7 minutes.
Step 19
It's best to keep this cream in the refrigerator; in a piping bag, it can last for about 5 days without losing its texture and properties. However, don't think that it's too delicate — the powdered sugar and cream cheese give it enough stability. This means that even at room temperature (around 63°F), the cake can easily hold its shape for several days.
Step 20
Here’s another property — it can be used to cover the sides and top of the cake, the cream doesn’t "slide" and holds its shape. This same property is convenient when making cupcake toppers or various "flowers" for decorating pastries.
Step 21
Here’s a tip that many people ask about. If the powdered sugar is gritty or you need a whiter color, do this: first, whip the butter and powdered sugar together with a mixer on high for about 5-10 minutes. Only then add the cheese.
Step 22
During the mixing stage, you can flavor the cream by adding cocoa or fruit purees. Here’s an example with raspberry cream. Make a puree from raspberries (it doesn't matter if they are frozen or fresh). Now add a couple of tablespoons of the puree to the cream and mix it in. You can strain the puree through a sieve to remove the seeds, but I chose not to. If you mix the cream for one minute, it will have a marbled appearance with white and pink swirls. Continue mixing for another 2-3 minutes for a smooth, uniform pink cream.
Step 23
There are also many questions regarding cottage cheese. First of all, do not confuse cream cheese with cottage cheese — the former is more similar to processed cheese, while the latter resembles finely ground curds. If you taste it straight from the package, it will be slightly salty, but don't be alarmed — the salt enhances the sweet ingredients and slightly balances them (to prevent the cream from becoming overly sweet). For my desserts, I use Hochland, and occasionally Almette. You can even use soft ricotta or other cheeses like mascarpone and Philadelphia — but the basic recipe will still be as I described above.
Step 24
Here is a helpful guide for you. The portion sizes are based on my experience, so you may need more or less cream, depending on the thickness of the layers applied. Cake pan diameter (cm): 16-18, 20-22, 24+; Naked cake (servings): 1, 1.5, 1.5; Regular cake (servings): 2, 3, 4.
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