RED CHOCOLATE VELVET CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• Stir together flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beating at low speed just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla; stir in red food coloring. Use batter immediately, following baking directions for desired cake in "Pick a Pan" below.
• Pick a Pan: Chocolate-Red Velvet Cake Batter can be baked in lots of different shapes and sizes--just use these times as a guideline, and be sure to grease and flour your pans. With smaller muffin pans and molds, we found it easier to use a vegetable cooking spray with flour. Check for doneness at the minimum time range, continuing to bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Variations with added fruit and nuts will require the maximum time and yield more mini cakes.
• Bake at 325° in 1 (12-cup) tube pan for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Bake at 325° in 3 (8- x 4-inch) loaf pans for 55 to 65 minutes.
• Bake at 325° in 7 to 9 (5- x 3-inch) loaf pans for 25 to 35 minutes.
• Bake at 325° in baby Bundt pans for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 14 to 16 baby Bundt cakes. (Spoon 1/2 cup batter in each 1-cup mold.)
• Bake at 350° in muffin pans 23 to 28 minutes. Makes 32 to 38 cupcakes.
• Bake at 350° in miniature muffin pans for 9 to 11 minutes. Makes about 9 to 10 dozen cupcakes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans. In a bowl, sift together the cake flour, chocolate pudding mix, cocoa powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup of butter with 1 1/2 cup of sugar with an electric mixer until creamy; beat the eggs in, one at a time, and beat until the mixture is fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, in several additions. Mix in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and the red food color until the batter is uniformly colored. In a bowl, stir the baking soda with vinegar, and gently fold the foamy mixture gently into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean or with moist crumbs, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
• For frosting, place all-purpose flour in a saucepan, and gradually whisk milk into the flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until smoothly combined. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until thickened and smooth; allow to cool completely. Beat 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 1 minute, and gradually beat in the cooled milk mixture; add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat the frosting until fluffy and spreadable, 1 to 2 more minutes.