Sylvias Red Velvet Cake Recipes

RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans and line each pan with a round of parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl
• Cream the butter, sugar and oil in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beat until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla, vinegar and food coloring.
• Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches alternating with the buttermilk, mixing well after each addition. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes before removing the cake from the pans. Let cool completely before frosting. Slice each cake into 2 layers and frost.
• Combine the cream, milk, vanilla bean and seeds in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove the vanilla bean and discard. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened to a paste, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a bowl, cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours.
• Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until the mixture is very fluffy and the sugar is totally dissolved, about 6 minutes. Add the cold paste, a few tablespoons at a time to the butter mixture and whip until light and fluffy.

SYLVIA'S RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• For the CAKE:.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (9 inch) cake pans. In a medium bowl or on a piece of waxed paper, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk. Beat in food coloring and vinegar, then add vanilla. Spread the batter evenly in the pans. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Turn out onto a rack to cool.
• For the FROSTING:.
• In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat in confectioner's sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Stir in pecans. Use frosting to fill in between layers and ice cake.

SAVANNAH'S PERFECTLY RAVISHING RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans.
• Pour red food coloring into a small bowl, and mix with cocoa powder to make a paste. In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup of butter, sugar, and eggs with an electric mixer until smooth and thoroughly combined; mix in the red color mixture, salt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Gradually mix in the buttermilk, alternating with flour, until the batter is smooth. Mix the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl, and stir into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing cakes to finish cooling on racks.
• In a bowl, mash cream cheese with 1/2 cup softened butter and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until smooth and creamy; stir in the confectioners' sugar, about half a cup at a time, until the frosting is thick and spreadable. Frost fully-cooled layers.

SYLVIA'S FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Grease the bottom and sides of an eight-cup souffle dish or a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. Line with brown paper; grease the paper.
• Combine the walnuts, pecans, brazil nuts, dates, apricots, prunes, candied fruits, raisins and cherries in a large bowl. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the nuts and fruits. Toss lightly until well coated.
• Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a medium-size bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture is fluffy and light. Pour over the nut mixture. Stir gently to combine.
• Fill the prepared dish or pan, pressing the cake mixture firmly. Bake at 275 degrees for about two hours. (If the top is browning too quickly, cover with buttered foil.)
• Remove the cake to a wire rack. Spoon one-quarter cup of brandy over the cake. Let stand one hour. Invert the cake and peel off the paper. Turn it right side up and let it stand on the wire rack until it is completely cooled. Place the wire rack in a shallow pan and spoon the remaining one-half cup of brandy over the cake.
• To store, wrap the cake in cheesecloth that has been soaked in brandy. Wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil or store in tightly covered container.

SYLVIA'S BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch round cake pan.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Make a well in the center and add eggs, vanilla, oil and water. Mix until smooth. Pour batter into 10 inch round cake pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting.