More cakes!  Working on the “make cupcakes to practice your pipping techniques” concept, I figured I’d make mini cakes to practice my fondant-ing.    After mixing together 1.5 batches of red velvet batter, I had enough baked rounds to get 3 cake repetitions in.  Practice makes perfect and though I think I’m getting better, ribbon is still my best friend – hiding my rips and folds 🙂

Cake 1, was last post’s Valentine’s Day cake, and as promised, here are cakes 2 + 3 and the red velvet cake recipe I used.

recipes from Baking with the Cake Boss by Buddy Valastro

R E D  V E L V E T  C A K E
makes 2 – 9″ cakes or 24 cupcakes

• 1 1/4 C vegetable shortening
• 2 C sugar | more for sprinkling on parchment
• 1tbsp unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 4 1/2 tsp red gel food colour
• 3 C cake flour | more for flouring cake pans
• 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/4 tsp distilled white vinegar
• 3 extra large eggs
• 1 1/4 C buttermilk
• about 2 tbsp unsalted butter to grease cake pans

preheat oven to 350ºF  with rack in the middle of the oven
in a stand mixer bowl, fitted with a paddle attachment, combine shortening + sugar + cocoa + food colour + flour + salt + vanilla + baking soda + vinegar
start speed @ low then raise to low-med and mix for  1 min. 
add eggs 1 @ a time after each is absorbed into mixture
add buttermilk in 2 portions | stop to scrape bowl sides when needed
grease 2 – 9″ cake pans [2″ deep] with butter and dust with flour
divide batter evenly between pans 
bake until cakes pull from sides of pan and are springy to the touch | about 35-40 mins.
remove from oven and let cool for at least 30 mins. 
once at room temp. remove cakes from pans
put a piece of parchment on a baking sheet , sprinkle with sugar, turn the cakes onto the parchment 
refrigerate or freeze until ready to decorate

C R E A M  C H E E S E  F R O S T I N G
makes about 3 C | enough to fill + ice 1 – 9″ cake

• 16 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 C unsalted butter | softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 C sifted powdered sugar

put cream cheese + butter in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment
paddle @ med speed until creamy  | approx. 30 secs
gradually add sugar | mix until smooth 
use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days

[a mini Valentine for a friend]

[Shereen’s B-day cake; Happy Birthday!!!]

I found the cream cheese frosting a little more difficult to work with when crumb coating, pre fondant, than my usual swiss meringue buttercream.  It was harder to achieve a clean edged finish and it was more soft in texture.  However, the taste was worth the trouble!

More cakes to come!