Valentines Day!!! Part 1, Red Velvet Cake.

Merry Valentines day.  Well, day after. Since this is the first post, I'll explain everything.  This was suggested by Erin, my sis-in-law.  Me and my brother, Michael, love to cook.  We try everything, and comment on it.  But we don't have very many resources to share food, or comments about how we failed or succeeded in our creations.  Therefore, this was created, not just for us, but for those who love food and want to know what we think about what we create and what we love.  I hope you all can learn and enjoy what we share.  If not, it gives us a chance to at least talk about food.

Anyway, This first post is for my creations for my wife Sara on Valentine's day.  I made her 2 things, Red Velvet Cake and raspberry truffles.  I'll comment first on the red velvet cake.

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 Tablesoons cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 ounces red food coloring
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8 inch round pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together sugar, oil, cocoa, and eggs. Add food coloring and vinegar to buttermilk. Add baking soda to flour. Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the sugar mixture. Mix well. Stir 1 teaspoon vanilla into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until done. Remove from oven, and cool on wire racks.
4. Mix together cream cheese, butter or margarine, confectioners' sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in nuts. Frost cooled cake.

This was hard to make, not just putting it together, but I have always had a hard time with cakes.  I usually over mix it, which makes it stiff and more brownie like.  Luckily, this is not what happened when I made this cake.  The only problem was the frosting.  It way overpowered the flavor of the cake.  Maybe its just me, since I'm more of a brownie person, but the cake was hard to taste. Besides that, it was fine. 

Just to tell you, yes this does say 2 ounces of Red Food coloring.  That is 2-one ounce bottles.   Yes it stains, yes turns your mouth red.  It goes into you red and comes out of you red.  Just to warn you.  But it looks visually appealing, and tastes great.  I'd definitely recommend it.

By the way, If you want to get on the good side of your wife.  MAKE THIS CAKE.  Sara loves this with a passion.  Its the most difficult cake I've made, but its worth it.