Red Velvet Cake with Mascarpone Cream Cheese Frosting



"Velvet" cakes started showing up in the late 1800s, the name referring to any cake with an especially fine crumb. Red velvet cake, meanwhile, grew in popularity in the 20th century (perhaps because red food coloring, a key ingredient in the cake, became readily available).

Red Velvet Cake is a classic, dressy cake that could be enjoyed at any special occasion.


Valentine's


Christmas

There is some disagreement as to which is the "right" or "traditional" type of frosting to use on a red velvet cake. Some say that a cooked white frosting is what was originally used, but many wouldn't dream of using anything but a cream cheese frosting. It's completely up to you. This recipe includes a cream cheese and mascarpone frosting.

This cake was beautiful, moist, and delicious.



Red Velvet Cake with Mascarpone Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake Ingredients:


2 and 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1/2 cup lightly packed unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup canola oil
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon red food coloring, either gel or liquid
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 and 3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

Center oven rack and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9" cake pans (or cupcake pans) and line bottoms with parchment paper.


In a small bowl, sift together the dry ingredients, and whisk to mix well. In another small bowl, combine the oil, vanilla, and food coloring.


In your stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Turn mixer to low and drizzle oil mixture into batter until well-combined. Turn back to medium high and beat until fluffy again.

Blend in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, adding the next one as soon as the previous one disappears.

Turn the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture in three parts, and the buttermilk in two parts, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape the bowl frequently. Do not overbeat.

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Rap pans firmly on counter to release any air bubbles. Bake until centers of the cake spring back when lightly touched, 28 to 30 minutes. Cupcakes will be done in less time.


Cool on rack for 30 minutes before removing from pan. Continue to let cool, top side up, until completely cool. Leave the parchment paper on until you assemble the cake.


When layers are cool, remove parchment paper and assemble and frost as for a layer cake:


Mascarpone Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

8 ounces mascarpone, cold
1/2 cup heavy cream, cold
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

Using your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the mascarpone, cream, and sugar. Beat on low speed until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently. Mix on high speed for about a minute or until creamy and thick. Turn mixer to low, add the vanilla, and mix just until blended.

Use immediately, or keep in fridge up to 5 days. If refrigerated, blend and soften with a spatula before using.

I made this cake for my younger daughter's birthday, close to Valentine's Day. She had a small individual layer cake, and the rest of us had cupcakes.





Click here for a tutorial on making the chocolate drizzle hearts:




Recipe from Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson

Red Velvet Cake may have been taken to some of these fun parties!



31 comments:

  1. All presentations AwEsOmE!!!! truly for all occasions!

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    1. Emily, thank you! I had a lot of fun with this one! :)

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  2. WOW! Everything looks amazing! I loved all you did with it! You're so creative and talented! Love it!!!

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    1. Thank you, Paloma! I really enjoyed this month's cake, and your cupcakes! :)

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  3. I love the way the icing is just flowing out of that mini cake...beautiful!

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    1. Thank you, Stacie! And I loved your cupcakes in a jar!! :)

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  4. Wow, I really like how your cupcakes turned out. Your pictures are stunning x

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    1. Thank you, Charlene! I thought your heart-shaped cake was a great idea! :)

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  5. I am in awe of your decorating and presentation skills--I love the chocolate drizzle heart and the photo of a cupcake under the glass dome.

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    1. Krista, thank you so much! Making the chocolate drizzle hearts was fun! :)

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  6. Joy...this cake is just stunning! Your lead picture is worth a thousand words and I can taste it just by looking at it! How lovely that you made your daughter a small individual cake. Is that a birthday tradition? It really looks so special...your photos...beautiful as always! : )

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    1. Thank you so much, Anne! Birthday cakes are the most fun! :) I enjoyed this month's cake- I love that you made a square layer cake- I really like the look!

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  7. Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Dorothy- and thank you for stopping by! :)

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  8. Your cakes look beautiful. And the little cupcake keeper you have is beautiful and elegant.

    I personally couldn't picture any other kind of frosting to go with this cake. It was marvelous! :)

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    1. Becca, thank you! I agree, you just can't beat the cream cheese flavors with red velvet! :)

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  9. I so agree with you about the cream cheese - that is loved by all in my house.
    The layer cake looks so decedent I bet your daughter was thrilled!!
    H
    :)

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    1. Holly, she did love the cake- thank you for coming by! :)

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  10. I love all of your photos of this cake. The frosting was my favorite part and I think you got the ratio just right.

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    1. Felice, I loved the frosting, too....maybe a little too much! LOL! I am definitely a cream cheese girl. :) Thank you for visiting!

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  11. How did you get your frosting to look so gorgeous?! The top photo looks so glossy and smooth and yuuuummy. Love it!

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    1. Thank you, Molly!! I think it was the lighting! ;) I enjoyed reading your funny blog about your RVC cupcakes! :)

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  12. Joy, I love all your ideas - Valentine's, Christmas and even your chocolate drizzle heart. What a delightful post to read with so many pictures as a treat for the eyes :) Pretty!!!

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    1. Grace, thank you so much! I loved your pretty cupcakes! :)

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  13. I've been wanting to make Red Velvet cake for a while plus a student in our hs baking class told me about using mascarpone cheese for frosting, I knew I had to try your recipe. I just shared a slice with my husband and it's absolutely fabulous, rich and tasty. I'll make this again.

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    1. I am so excited that you tried and liked the cake! Red Velvet has been a favorite of mine for awhile; this was the best recipe I have tried.

      And there is a baking class in your high school? I love that! I think I would visit there.... a lot.... ;)

      Thank you so much for visiting, and for letting me know you tried the cake! :)

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  14. Replies
    1. Thank you very much! I had a lot of fun staging it. :)

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  15. Thank you for sharing this recipe! Now I'll need to attempt to make it this weekend.

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  16. I don't know if I did something wrong but my cake isn't really red. It's more brown and it's not enough icing for the cake. Do you know what I may have done wrong?

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    1. Anonymous, I would have a hard time guessing what went wrong, but I am so sorry you didn't get the results you were looking for. :( The only thing I can think of for the redness of the cake is either the quality of the food coloring or the measurement of it. The only thing I can think of for the frosting is if it wasn't beaten enough- as if the volume wasn't increased enough. I usually have a little bit of frosting left over, even. I wish I were there with you to troubleshoot! :(

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