Red Velvet Shortcakes Recipes

RED VELVET SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Cover bottoms of 2 (9-inch) round pans with waxed paper; spray with cooking spray. Prepare cake batter as directed on package; blend in chocolate and food coloring. Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake 22 to 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.
• Toss berries with 2 Tbsp. sugar; set aside. Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Whisk in COOL WHIP.
• Cut each cake layer into 8 wedges. Serve topped with COOL WHIP mixture and berries.

RED VELVET CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. This recipe makes 14 cupcakes, so you will have 2 cupcakes to bake in a 2nd batch.
• With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat 2 egg whites on high speed in a medium bowl until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. See photo at the bottom of this post for a visual. Set aside.
• Sift the flour and cornstarch together to make sure it is evenly combined. Whisk this, along with baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy - about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together fairly well. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the oil and beat on high for 2 minutes. The butter may look "piece-y" and not completely combine with the oil. This is normal and ok.
• Add 2 egg yolks and the vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the vinegar and the food coloring- until you reach your desired color. I use 2 Tablespoons. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not overmix. Fold whipped egg whites into cupcake batter with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. The batter will be silky and slightly thick. (If there are still pieces of butter - and there were in 1 test batch for me - again, this is ok. They will melt inside as the cupcakes bake. Making them even more buttery.)
• Spoon batter into cupcake liners filling 1/2 - 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-21 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes spring back when gently touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake; your cupcakes will dry out. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Prepare cream cheese frosting. Frost cooled cupcakes immediately before serving. I used a Wilton #12 tip; I don't recommend a star tip. This frosting is a little too thin.

RED VELVET STRAWBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Cut two 22-by-3 1/2-inch strips of parchment paper. Spray a 7-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with parchment and fit one of the strips of parchment around the inside of the pan, so that the parchment sticks up above the edge. Spray again with nonstick spray.
• Whisk together the coffee and cocoa powder in a small heatproof bowl until the cocoa has dissolved. Set aside to cool.
• Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the granulated sugar and vegetable oil on medium speed. Add the eggs, vanilla and food coloring and mix until well combined. Mix in the cocoa mixture. Mixing on low speed, add the a third of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
• Add half the buttermilk. Add another third of the dry ingredients, mix until combined, and then add the remaining buttermilk.
• Stop the mixer. Stir the baking soda and vinegar together in a small bowl (it will bubble up). Immediately add it to the batter along with the remaining dry ingredients and mix for 15 seconds.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, set the pan on a baking sheet tray and bake until the top springs back when gently pressed and a toothpick comes out clean, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes, then remove the sides and slide the cake off the bottom to cool completely on the rack.
• Once completely cool, use a large serrated knife or a cake knife or cake leveler to trim off any doming on top of the cake. Slice the cake horizontally into 2 even layers.
• For the filling: Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl. Set aside to bloom for 5 minutes.
• Mix the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high until creamy and smooth. Transfer 3/4 cup of the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and set aside in the refrigerator. Microwave the bloomed gelatin until melted, about 20 seconds. Beat the gelatin into the remaining cream cheese along with the sour cream. Mix until smooth.
• Set aside 5 of the prettiest strawberries for decorating the top of the cake. Remove the green tops from the rest of the strawberries. Trim the berries if necessary so that they are similar in height when standing up on the trimmed end.
• To assemble the cake, set one layer of cake on a cake board or flat serving platter. Unlock the clean ring of the springform pan and place it around the cake layer. Take the second strip of parchment and wrap around the cake inside the ring so that it is standing up, then lock the cake ring so that it hugs the parchment against the cake.
• Spread 1/3 cup of the cream cheese filling over the cake layer. Slice a strawberry in half vertically and press the cut halves up against the parchment so that they touch at the bottom. Repeat until you have a ring of berries around the inside of the parchment. Take the remaining whole berries and fill in the interior of the ring, trimmed side down (you may not use all the berries, depending on their size).
• Spread the rest of the filling over the berries, making sure that it fills in the gaps between them.
• Gently tap the cake on the counter to eliminate any air pockets. Place the second cake layer on top, making sure the parchment is around the sides, and gently press down. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is chilled through and set, at least 3 hours and up to 8 hours.
• When ready to serve, unlock the springform ring and lift it off the cake. Peel off the parchment strip, being careful not to pull it straight out but rather peel it gently away from the sides of the cake. With the reserved frosting, pipe 14 stars in a circle around the top edge of the cake, then pipe 10 stars in a smaller circle, and then 2 large rosettes in the center. Cut the reserved 5 strawberries in half vertically, leaving the green tops on, and place 7 strawberry halves in every other gap between the 14 piped stars. Arrange the remaining 3 strawberry halves on the rosettes in the center of the cake. Slice and enjoy!

CLASSIC RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms and sides of 3 (8- or 9-inch) round pans with shortening; lightly flour.
• In large bowl, beat all cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pans.
• Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In medium saucepan, mix 1/2 cup flour and 1 1/2 cups milk with whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat until mixture is very thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes. In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups sugar and the butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour mixture by tablespoonfuls; beat on high speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Fill and frost cake, using 1 cup frosting between layers. Store covered in refrigerator.