I’ve always been a person with a major sweet tooth. Whenever someone asked me what my favorite food was I would always reply with my favorite dessert of the time (usually ice cream). However, I really wasn’t much of a cake guy. I thought chocolate cake was too dense and rich, and vanilla was too dry and bland. I was the kid at birthday parties who ate more than their share of pizza, and then didn’t eat any cake. Every year for my own birthday, my mom tried a new version of cake that she hoped I would like. One year it was vanilla buttercream, the next marble cake, the next devil’s food cake. Each year, to her dismay, I took a bite, smiled, told her it was pretty good, then took a second bite and said I was done. Then, when I was 10 I fell head over heels in love with a cake. It was just any cake though, it was ruby red velvet cake with luscious fluffy cream cheese frosting.

My mom was at her friend Patty’s house (who now owns a cupcake store in Chicago) and whenever she goes out I always ask my mom to bring me something home. On this particular day she brought me a slice of red velvet cake. Looking back, it comes as no surprise that the first cake I ever liked came from Patty’s house because all good things come from her house like my first video games or tickets to Cirque du Soleil. Even though I didn’t like cake, I liked trying new things and the cake’s red crumb contrasted by snow white frosting was hypnotizing so I had to have some. After that first bit I sighed and my body melted as I entered cake nirvana for the first time. It was moist and delicate and the frosting was fluffy and just a little bit tangy. I found my perfect cake and every year since then, my mom has made me red velvet cake for my birthday.

There is a lot of confusion people have when it comes to red velvet cake. Many people think it is just a chocolate cake that’s dyed red, which is far from the truth. Traditionally a southern cake, it has it’s own unique flavor. There’s some cocoa powder in it, but also vanilla. The unique flavor can’t really be described in any other way than yummy and unique. The tangy cream cheese frosting that is a must for the cake perfectly complements the moist and flavorful cake. While my mom is the one who makes me the cake for my birthday, I make red velvet cake and cupcakes as often as I can. I’ll find any excuse to whip up a batch of red velvet bliss.

Daniel

INGREDIENTS

• For Cake
• 2 ¼ cups (11 ¼ ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• pinch salt
• 1cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder (NOT DUTCH PROCESSED)
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce bottle) red food coloring
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups (10 ½ ounces) granulated sugar
• For Frosting
• 16 (2 sticks) tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups (16 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
• 16 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces, softened
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• pinch salt

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