My favorite cake

So I have decided that I will be making no more promises. Like tempting you with the idea of bacon brownies and not following through, or saying that I will write about the 4th and never doing it. I think that, just maybe, if I don't make any promises about it, I will actually post the things that I am thinking about. You just won't know what they are ahead of time!

I've decided not to post much about the 4th. I ended up in a pretty bad mood most of the day and I know that I if I start writing about it I will start venting and that is not what this blog is about. It's about the greatness that is food.

Many people I know are under the assumption that I am much more of a baker than a cook. Some are even surprised that I cook (which is silly because I can't even count the amount of times that I have had them over for dinner, where no dessert was involved!). It's true that I bake more than I cook but it doesn't mean I love it more. I love cooking just as much, maybe even more than baking. The thing is, cooking is truthfully only appropriate 3 times a day. Nobody wants, well I can't speak for everyone I guess, a roast with fingerling potatoes and green beans for a 4 o'clock snack. But people will eat a cookie. Baked goods can be appropriate at any time of the day and people seem to be less discriminating about them. Darn near anyone will eat a chocolate chip cookie if you put it in front of them.

I think my favorite thing to bake are cakes. And my favorite cake of all times is red velvet. The first time I heard of red velvet was while watching "Steel Magnolias" and the crazy aunt at the wedding had made a red velvet armadillo grooms cake. I found myself intrigued. Although really you can't say the word cake without my interest being perked. I think that the first time I had red velvet was at a restaurant in Hollywood with my friend Vanessa, but I can't remember which one. Since then I've tried many recipes to figure out the exact ingredients to make a perfect, rich slice of red cake. My stand by recipe for the longest time came from "Sylvia's Family Soul Food Cookbook", the first cook book I ever bought myself. The cake comes out amazing, as does everything you make from that book. Every time I used that recipe I have gotten nothing but raves. For the 4th I decided to try a different recipe, this time from "Bon Appetit Y'all" (I have an endless amount of southern cook books in my collection). I'm sorry Sylvia, but I think I have found a new favorite. This cake was AMAZING! My friends dug into it right away calling it their
"appetizer". I even converted a red velvet hater.


AUNT LOUISE'S RED VELVET CAKE adapted from Bon Appetit Y'all

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsps cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 (1 ounce) bottle red food coloring

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
8 ounces cream cheese at room temp
1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temp
1 box (16 ounce)confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp milk


Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter and flour three 9 inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Sift together the dry ingredients into a bowl and set aside.Combine the oil and sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed. Add the eggs one at a time. With the mixer on low add food coloring. Add the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix until just combined.Divide the batter between the pans and bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then invert the layers onto rack to cool completely.

To make frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together in mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, if the frosting is to stiff, add the milk a little at a time. Frost cooled cake and enjoy!


I wanted to say that yesterday was my father in law's birthday! I'm really lucky in the whole father department because he is a great guy!