Red Velvet Sweetheart Cake….For Your Sweetheart And You!
My dear friends, I made this cake last year and wanted to bring it out again to show you how easy it was to make.
And it is so pretty….and RED!
Don’t ya just love the bright red color?
Red Velvet Cake is one of the prettiest cakes I know…and this recipe is so moist and delicious that I just had to share the recipe with you.
I mean, what are friends for….
I got your back dear friends.
And you don’t have to wait for Valentine’s Day to roll around, this Red Velvet Cake is good ANYTIME!
I also have a recipe for a blue velvet cake that is amazing ….so pretty….it is in my recipe files….you can find it here.
That recipe was one of my early on recipes and I didn’t take as many pics. 🙁
Of course I have a confession to make…the red velvet cake recipe is from a famous cake baker in New York City, but he gave the recipe out in a magazine….forgot which one as it has been awhile ago,…and it has been stashed in my recipe file just begging to be made and eaten.
First, let me tell you that the red color is amazing.
It is beautiful just by itself….but it does take a full one ounce bottle of red food coloring, but the results are stunning, so don’t skimp on the red food color.
I frosted the top of the cake with a cream cheese frosting (what else could I have used for a red velvet cake??) that I had tinted a pretty pink and sprinkled a few little red heart sprinkles on the top.
The velvety taste is heavenly.
I baked my cake in a heart shaped deep baking dish, much like a bundt pan and it turned out really nice.
I decided to frost only the top, but think I should have frosted the sides too, because the sides are darker of course and the inside of this cake is a really bright red.
I perhaps should have used photography lights but I did those “quick” photos thinking the red would show up easily. The heart piece below is the most accurate picture for the color of this cake.
For grins and giggles, I leveled the cake after removing it from the oven and the baking dish, and decided to use a cookie cutter to cut out a heart shape…. intending to use it on top of the pink frosting for more decor.
LOL!!! The cake was a bit warm when I used the cookie cutter (I know better than that, ….should have let it cool) and so it broke apart in a couple places.
Instead of being upset, I laughed.
Yes, I laughed out loud and announced to the Captain that it resembled my broken heart !!!! 😉
One of my favorite hymns is below and it fits my little heart cut out from the “leveling” remains of my cake.
He is the healer of broken hearts
He’ll mend your shattered dreams
He will pick up the threads of your broken heart and weave them together again
To your soul He’ll give peace and joy
Your friend in need He’ll be
the Healer of broken hearts
is Jesus of Galilee.
Make it a wonderful and glorious day.
Every one of you are amazing…and don’t lose sight of that please.
I love you all and I am so grateful that you are “following” me on this blog.
The recipe is below.
Blessings Always!
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce, or one full bottle)
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Using an electric mixer, whisk together the buttermilk and oil. Mix in the eggs one at a time, and then mix in the food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla extract.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet just until a batter forms.
- *Lightly grease 2 8-inch round baking tins. Lay a strip of parchment paper down to help remove the baked cakes more easily.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two. Bake for 35-40 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Make the frosting: whisk together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing well in between each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cake
- * I baked my cake in a heart shaped Temptations baking dish...which required no prep other than to put the cake batter in the baking dish, but you could use any baking pan of your choice.
- If you want to use a white cake mix, just add the bottle of red food coloring to make a bright red cake. If you use less food coloring, you will have a pink cake and sometimes the cake can be a color that is not desirable, so be sure to use the whole bottle.
I was hesitant to try this but my husband wanted me to make red foods for Juneteenth. I have never made a cake without creaming butter sugar and eggs together so I presumptively did so. I was worried I had ruined the recipe but it turned out amazing. A 10 out 10 recipe. So this will be a Juneteenth tradition. My husband was thoroughly impressed.
Thank you Robin, I’m glad you liked it.
Kari, this is the brightest red I have ever seen on a red velvet cake! They are usually much more chocolaty than this. This is my sister’s favorite flavor of cake. I will hang onto the recipe and perhaps she will get a surprising treat one day!
I know Chloe…it is so pretty, just be sure to use the whole bottle of red food coloring.
Yum!
So so good Jenna
Hi Kari, Happy New year! I have missed you too. I am hoping to get caught up…ha ha. Your cake looks fabulous. Love red velvet and the heart shape is so pretty. Happy weekend my sweet friend.
thank you Linda…enjoy your week-end…I will be glued to the tube for play off game (KC Chiefs) and my Kansas Jayhawk basketball game….at the same time, go figure! Hugs
Thanks for sharing your recipe, your heart, and that beautiful hymn. Love when a post can point back to the Lord! 😉 You’ve inspired me, Kari! Woot! And, I like the darker edges with the bright inside. Gives it more depth!
thanks for stopping by Julie…I can’t wait for you to try the cake recipe. Let me know how it works out for you. I’ve always loved that hymn and I love the Lord.My faith is very important to me. Blessings my friend.
Hi Kari, you’ve inspired me to bake this beautiful cake!
Wonderful Tammy…I hope you like it…let me know how it turned out for you!
I made this cake for Thanksgiving. Everyone loved it. Ty so much for sharing. One question though. I want to make mini cake loaf. How long would I bake them for?