Recipe Box < Baking 911 < Desserts

Red Velvet Cake with Roux Icing

What is Needed:

Electric Mixer

Batter attachment

Wisk attachment

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Medium bowl

Small cup

Spatula

2, 8" or 9" cake pans

Toothpick

Cake cooling racks

Small frying pan

Small wisk

Ice

Cake Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 oz. red food coloring (6 Tablespoons)

2 heaping Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1/4 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat cake pans well with shortening and flour.

Cream together shortening, sugar, and eggs with electric mixer with cake batter attachment.  In a separate bowl mix together the red food coloring and cocoa until is forms a smooth paste.

Add cocoa mixture to creamed sugar mixture and mix well with electric mixer. 

Measure out the cake flour into a medium bowl.  Add salt and gently mix.  Measure out buttermilk and set aside.  Start adding flour then buttermilk, alternately, into the cocoa and creamed sugar mixture, mixing well with each addition.  Start with the flour and end with the flour.

Add vanilla to the cake batter mixing well on low.  In a small cup or bowl, add the baking soda and vinegar and mix well.  Add vinegar mixture to cake batter and mix well on low until well incorporated.

Evenly divide batter into 2 cake pans that have been greased with shortening and dusted with flour.  Bake on 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Important:  check cake for doneness after 25 minutes.  To do this, use a toothpick and insert into the middle of the cake and pull out.  The cake is done when there are crumbs on the toothpick.  Do not overbake and remember the cake will continue to bake slightly after removing from the oven.  If the toothpick comes out with uncooked batter, then continue to bake for 2 minutes and check again with a clean toothpick; do this every 2 minutes with a clean toothpick until there are crumbs on the toothpick and you know the cake is done.  When cake is done, remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes.  Remove cooled cakes from pans and continue to cool them on cake cooling racks.  When cakes are completely cooled, ice with Roux Icing and serve.

Roux Icing

6 Tablespoons flour

2 cups whole milk

2 cups powdered sugar, 10x sifted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature

In the sink, add a good portion of ice cubes to place the hot skillet on to quickly cool down the milk and flour mixtujre when it is done.

Add flour to a small frying pan.  Adding a little at a time, add milk to flour mixing with a small wisk.  This will help prevent lumps of flour in the mixure.  Once the flour and milk mixture are well incorporated and there are no lumps, add the rest of the milk and mix well.  Place the frying pan with milk and flour mixutre over a medium high heat.  Stirring constantly with the small wisk, cook until mixture becomes thick.

Remove from heat and place on top of the bed of ice in the sink to quickly cool down the mixture stirring often.  This should only take a few minutes.  The mixture will get even thicker as it cools.

In an electric mixer with a wisk attachment, add powdered sugar, vanilla, and butter.  Start off with a slow speed and mix well.  When all ingredients are well incorporated, scape down the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatual and mix on high until light and fluffy.

Add cooled flour mixture to creamed sugar and butter mixture.  Mix well on high until well incorporated and fluffy.  The mixture will resemble whipped cream.  Frost cooled cake.

Helpful hints:

Red food coloring can be found in the baking section of the grocery store in 1 oz. bottles; you will need 2 bottles.

Use whole milk and real butter for the Roux icing.

There will be extra Roux icing left over.  Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.  A great frosting on cupcakes.

Store iced cake in refrigerator because it contains butter.

Cool milk and flour mixture before adding to creamed butter and sugar or it will melt the butter.