A Red Velvet Birthday for A Russian Ballerina

8th and 9th of June 2012

Two years ago I started making cheesecakes which until that point I had been too afraid to try and am now known in a few countries for my friends very amazing recipe that one day I'll tell the world about.
The Red Velvet Cake in my opinion is the most terrifying of all cake recipes.  I don't know why really, I think it's just an idea I got in my head and that's that.

On a more topical note, I have a cast mate who is an actual Russian Ballerina and she had a birthday this week.  In my opinion she is a living breathing princess and what better cake to serve a Russian princess on their birthday than the infamous Red Velvet Cake.  It looks terrific and tastes completely divine and unique which somewhat describes her.

It took me two days to complete, 4 cast mates assistance/company and  many hours of nervous procrastination.  I called a baking evening and with the company of 4 of my dancing sisters I got to it.

SCRIPT:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 Tablespoon of unsweetened, cocoa powder
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1-2 oz. red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar
• ½ cup of prepared plain hot coffee (don’t skip this ingredient)

FROSTING

2 225g pkts cream cheese, softened

1/4 C milk (add more if the frosting comes out too soft)

113g butter, softened

2 t vanilla extract

4 C powdered sugar 

Add softened cream cheese into a large bowl. Pour in milk, butter and vanilla.

Mix until well combined.

Pour in half of the powdered sugar.  Mix until well combined.

Add the remaining powdered sugar. Mix until smooth and fluffy.

METHOD/MADNESS:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and vegetable oil.
4. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and red food coloring until combined.
5. Stir in the coffee and white vinegar.
6. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients a little at time, mixing after each addition, just until combined.
7. Generously grease and flour two round cake pans with crisco and flour.
8. Pour the batter evenly into each pan.
9. Bake in the middle rack for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake as cake will continue to cook as it cools.
10. Let cool on a cooling rack until the pans are warm to the touch.
11. Slide a knife around the inside of the pans to loosen the cake from the pan.
12. Remove the cakes from the pan and let them cool in the fridge overnight.
13. Frost the cake with cream cheese frosting when the cakes have cooled completely.

after refrigerating the cakes over night and until I got home from the theatre the next afternoon, I sliced them in halves so I could make a more dramatic 4 layer cake.

With only an hour till the party I called over the same Connecticut Dancer cast mate who had shown off her decorating skills on the last birthday cake and two other dancing sisters and we stood around tentatively adding things and discussing how best to proceed....
Our Aussie Tinkerbell Ballerina cast mate had spent the baking night before keeping me company while painting these roses and petals silver.  They aren't edible and luckily no-one tried...

The Red Velvet Cake is so dramatic when you cut into it.  It's four layers of blood red and white and it has it's own uniquely fabulous flavor.
I've had it requested for Miss Connecticut Dancers birthday next month (but who will decorate it this time....)

I shared a piece with Aussie Tinkerbell Ballerina (so named for being feisty, tiny and blonde)
I then kept my fork and as people praised the cake I helped myself to a piece off their plate.