A Merry Christmas with Red Velvet Cake with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting!

I hope you are having a joyous holiday season so far this year and that it is filled with good food, great wine and perhaps a little bourbon shared with family and friends. 😉
I spent all day in the kitchen yesterday cooking and baking for today, as I am sure many of you did. If you are like me, spending time in the kitchen gives you a certain peace, particularly during the hectic holidays. It also is a great way to share a part of what you enjoy with others. Today I would like to share this recipe for Red Velvet Cake with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting.
This is a perfect cake for entertaining. Four layers of chocolatey cake tinted red befitting the holidays. Layered and topped with a decadent coconut frosting, this classic cake is the perfect finale to an evening’s festivities.
To you and yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Healthy, Happy, and Prosperous New Year!

Red Velvet Cake with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet Cake with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
For cake:
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons red liquid food coloring
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
For frosting:
2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
8 cups powdered sugar
4 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Directions:
For cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add food coloring and vanilla, beating until blended.
2. Whisk together flour and next 4 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Spoon batter into 4 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans.
3. Bake all pans at the same time, with 2 pans on top rack and 2 pans on bottom rack, at 350° for 10 minutes; rotate pans, and bake 10 to 12 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
4. Spread about 1 cup Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting between cake layers; spread remaining frosting on top and sides of cake.
For frosting:
1. Beat cream cheese, and butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until smooth. Add coconut extract, beating until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Stir in coconut.
Southern Living
December 2012
Oh, the cake is stunning, Gwen! Perfect! And I love the addition of coconut to the traditional frosting for this beauty! Wishing you and Mr. B a joyous, merry holiday season and a very healthy, happy and prosperous 2013!! xo
Hi Jamie,
Thank you! I could not stop thinking about making this cake after seeing the photo. Happy Holidays to your family! I know there will be wonderful things coming from your kitchen, too. Best wishes for the New Year and I am hoping we meet again! xo
Gwen
This is stunning! Merry Christmas. Hope you have an awesome day!
Hi Katrina,
Thank you and have a Merry Christmas!
Gwen
Sooooo beautiful! I know what I am baking soon 😉 Especially love the coconut cream frosting part. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you and yours. What a beautiful greeting and inspiration. Wishing all good things back to you and your dear ones. I love this cake and this recipe looks just wonderful. I love the coconut frosting and the heart-to-heart image of your cake to inspire us.
She baked! I love when you bake, Gwen because you have a natural gift..you jut prefer cooking. Now I’m craving Red Velvet cake, mainly because I’m ‘jonesing’ for that coconut cream cheese frosting. What a wonderful twist! Hope your Christmas turned out wonderful. I can’t see how that cake wouldn’t spark it up 🙂 xo