FOOD + DRINK | HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING

RED VELVET SPICE CAKE

By Patti Kupczyk & Elissa Doty | Chantal’s Catering

DRY INGREDIENTS
2 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour
3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
¾ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Instant Expresso Powder
1 ½ Teaspoons Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
¼ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
2 Cups Sugar
¾ Cup Unsalted Butter, Softened

WET INGREDIENTS
1/3 Cup Canola Oil
4 Large Eggs
2 Egg Yolks
2 Tablespoons Red Food Coloring
1 1/3 Cup Buttermilk
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 ½ Tablespoons White Distilled Vinegar

Preheat oven to 335 degrees
Prepare three 9” round pans

PREPARATION
Sift all DRY ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
In a separate bowl, whip butter and sugar on high speed until fluffy and pale in color. (This may take several minutes.) Then add oil and mix until completely incorporated. Make sure to scrape the sides of bowl while mixing.
At medium speed, add one egg at a time. Then add egg yolks and food coloring. Don’t forget to scrape sides of bowl while mixing.
In a separate bowl, mix buttermilk, vanilla, and vinegar. Take your dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture and alternate back and forth 1/3 of each while mixing into wet ingredients on medium speed while scraping down the sides.
Divide cake batter into prepared cake pans.
Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
When finished, cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes and cover for 15 minutes. Then refrigerate for 20 minutes. (Cake is easier to frost when cooled)

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Ingredients
1 cup of Unsalted Butter, Softened
3 ½ to 4 Cups of Powdered Sugar
2 Teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract
1 to 2 Tablespoons of Heavy Cream
½ Teaspoon of Salt
1 Teaspoon of Orange Extract
½ Tablespoon of Cinnamon

Preparation
Whip butter and salt together until pale yellow in color. The longer you whip the whiter your frosting will be.
Add vanilla and orange extract and continue to mix until completely incorporated.
Sift powder sugar and cinnamon. Gradually add to butter mixture.
While mixing add 1 TBS of whipping cream and continue to mix. Add more until you reach your desired consistency. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Garnish with candied oranges and autumn-colored beads.