Courtesy of Rose Levy Beranbaum from Rose's Heavenly Cakes
I long resisted the charms of this cake, believing it to be merely a layer cake tinted red
with a bottle of food coloring. But when several people on my blog sang its praises, I
decided to investigate it more thoroughly. It turns out that there is more to this cake than
its shocking color. This beloved southern cake is traditionally prepared with oil, a mere
suspicion of cocoa, and a teaspoon of white vinegar, which raises the acidity of the batter
and intensifies its color. The liquid component is usually buttermilk, which is thought to
raise the acidity as well, although the baking soda normally used neutralizes most of the
acidity and makes the crumb more coarse and the color darker. So, when I created my
version of this classic, I used only baking powder to employ the full acidity of the
buttermilk, making vinegar unnecessary. I also used half oil and half butter for the flavor-
enhancing qualities of butter and the moist, softening quality of the oil. The resulting
cake is as flavorful and tender as you can hope for and stays soft enough to eat even
straight from the fridge. A heart-shape pan is perfect for Valentine's Day. And the
contrast of the white chocolate cream cheese buttercream against the red cake is alluring.
Batter
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons red food color (1 bottle); see Notes, page 85
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
cake flour (or bleached all-purpose flour
2 cups (or 1-3/4 cups), sifted into the cup and leveled off
1 cup superfine sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (see Notes)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola or safflower oil, at room temperature
unsalted butter (65° to 75°F)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
Special Equipment: One 9 by 2-inch heart-shape or round cake pan (8 to 8²/³ cups),
encircled with a cake strip, bottom coated with shortening, topped with parchment cut to
shape, then coated with baking spray with flour
Preheat the oven
Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven
and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Mix the Liquid
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites, red food color, and vanilla just until
lightly combined. (Caution: Be careful with the red food color: it stains effectively, but
also unmercifully.)
Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa, and salt.
Make the Batter
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the oil and
butter on medium speed for 1 minute. It will not be completely smooth. Add the flour
mixture and buttermilk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise
the speed to medium and beat for 1-1/2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Starting on medium-low speed, gradually add the egg mixture to the batter in two parts,
beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the
ingredients and strengthen the structure. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the batter into
the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly with a small offset spatula.
Bake the Cake
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the wire cake tester inserted in the center comes out
clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center. The cake should start
to shrink from the sides of the pan only after removal from the oven.
Cool and Unmold the Cake
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a small metal spatula
between the sides of the pan and the cake, pressing firmly against the pan, and invert the
cake onto a wire rack that has been coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray. To
prevent splitting, reinvert the cake so that the top side is up. Cool completely.
Dreamy Creamy White Chocolate Frosting
Makes : almost 1 cup
3 ounces white chocolate containing cocoa butter, chopped
3 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool (65°F)
1/2 tablespoon crème fraîche or sour cream
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
Melt the White Chocolate
Heat the chocolate until almost completely melted. Use a small microwavable bowl,
stirring with a silicone spatula every 15 seconds (or use the top of a double boiler set over
hot, not simmering, water, stirring often—do not let the bottom of the container touch the
water).
Remove the white chocolate from the heat and, with the silicone spatula, stir until
fully melted. Allow it to cool until it is no longer warm to the touch but is still fluid.
Make the Frosting
In a food processor, process the cream cheese, butter, and crème fraîche for a few
seconds until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides. Add the cooled melted white
chocolate and pulse it in a few times until it is smoothly incorporated. Add the almond
extract and pulse it in.
Highlights for Success
Use white chocolate containing cocoa butter, such as Green & Black's with vanilla seeds or Valrhona.
The frosting becomes more firm in the refrigerator.
For a whiter frosting without the subtle flavor of the white chocolate, you can replace the
white chocolate with 1 cup (lightly spooned into the cup) powdered sugar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Compose the Cake
When the cake is completely cool, set it on a serving plate. Frost the top with swirls of buttercream.
Serves : 8 to 10
Baking Time: 25 to 35 minutes
Notes
Some people have a problem with the idea of using red food color and use beet juice in
its place. In recipes using baking soda, the beet juice would turn brown, but with this
highly acidic batter, the crumb will stay red, though not as pretty a red as offered by the
food color. The best way to harvest beet juice is to roast the well-washed beets in their
skins, leaving an inch of root and stems, in an aluminum foil package at 350º F. for
about 45 minutes for medium beets, up to about 1 hour and 15 minutes for large ones.
Remove the beets and use the foil to pour the beet juice into a small container.
For a distinct chocolate flavor, you can use up to 1/4 cup cocoa, sifted
before measuring, but decrease the flour by the same amount. The color will be a much
darker red.
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