Red Velvet Cassata Recipes

SOUTHERN RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour three 9 by 1 1/2-inch round cake pans.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.
• Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.
• Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.
• Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the Cream Cheese Frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with the pecans.
• In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)
• Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

RED VELVET CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.
• Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.
• Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese, softened, butter, sour cream and McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.

RED VELVET CASSATA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• In bowl of mixer on medium speed, beat almond paste and 11/3cups water for 2 minutes.
• Add next 3 ingredients (cake mix, eggs and oil).
• On low speed, beat 30 seconds; scrape bowl then beat 2 more minutes on medium speed.
• Divide between two 8-inch round cake pans coated with flour based cooking spray.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until tester comes out clean; cool on rack.
• Halve cakes.
• In bowl of electric mixer, beat next 2 ingredients (cream cheese and mascarpone), 1 cup heavy cream, 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract 2 minutes.
• Beat remaining cream and sugar 2 minutes, then fold into cream cheese mixture.
• Place 1 cake layer on plate; top with 1 cup cream mixture. Repeat twice.
• Coat cake with remaining cream mixture and top with berries (using a mix of berries like strawberries, raspberries citrus curls and edible flowers looked terrific in the photo!).
• Enjoy! ;).

SICILIAN CASSATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks; adding sugar gradually.
• Add butter.
• Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with milk; mix.
• Add vanilla and mix.
• Fold in beaten egg whites.
• Pour batter into greased and floured 10X16-inch jelly roll pan.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
• DO NOT over bake as it will not roll.
• Turn out onto a clean dish towel sprinkled thickly with powdered sugar.
• Trim off all edges with a knife.
• Roll the cake in a towel and let stand a few minutes.
• While you let the cake, prepare the filling.
• Put ricotta cheese through a sieve to remove all lumps.
• Add cream, sugar, cinnamon and liqueur and beat until smooth.
• Fold in candied fruit, nuts and chocolate chips.
• Unroll the towel and spread with filling.
• Reroll and refrigerate for 4 hours to"ripen".
• Slice when ready to serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

STRAWBERRY CASSATA

Steps:

• Bake the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch diameter springform pan and set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs at medium speed. Add sugar, lemon zest, salt and almond extract and continue whisking for 10 to 15 minutes, until mixture is quite thick and nearly holds peaks. Fold in flour quickly.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer emerges dry when inserted in the middle of cake. Cool on a rack. (It's best to make the cake a day in advance.)
• Make the syrup: Simmer sugar, 1/2 cup water and the lemon zest over medium heat for 10 minutes. Cool, stir in grappa and set aside.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk together ricotta and sugar to a spreadable consistency.
• Slice cake into 4 thin layers. Put 1 layer on a cake platter. Paint generously with syrup and spread with a quarter of the ricotta filling. Repeat with remaining 3 layers, stacking as you go. Smooth top layer of ricotta cream.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. Keep refrigerated until an hour before serving.
• To serve, toss berries with sugar and lemon juice. Let macerate no more than 10 minutes, then spoon berries over cake.