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

 

 

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