Red Velvet Love

What comes to your mind when someone says 'Love is in the air'?
The color red (be it red roses, red heart, red balloons) and chocolates galore.
For ages the chocolates and the color red have been synonymous for LOVE. And I am sure that someone in Love actually went ahead to combine these two and create the delicacy called the Red Velvet.
This dramatic looking cake has a mild chocolate flavor with a moist and tender crumb. What makes this cake even more striking in appearance and amazing in taste, is the white creamy frosting. A single bite of this delight will certainly leave you looking for more.

Classic Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients for Cake

250grams cake flour
15grams cocoa powder
100grams butter, at room temperature
300grams granulated white sugar
2 eggs
1tsp pure vanilla extract
200ml buttermilk
red food coloring (you can use gel or liquid)
1tsp white vinegar
1tsp baking soda

Steps:
Oven Temp - 180 degrees C
Pan size - 9 inch round
1. Preheat the oven and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder.
3. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
4. Add eggs, one at a time and beat well.
5. Add vanilla extract.
6. In another bowl, whisk buttermilk with red food coloring.
7. Alternately add flour mixture and colored buttermilk to the butter and sugar mixture.
8. In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 - 30 minutes.

Flour Buttercream Frosting

A classic red velvet cake is usually covered with cream cheese frosting. But it is very difficult to source good quality cream cheese in India.
Though Britannia Cream Cheese is readily available in most shops, I feel the cost of the frosting exceeds my budget.
I found an alternative frosting which equally enhances the taste of the Red Velvet and keeps it as pretty as the cream cheese frosting.
This Flour Butter Cream frosting is an absolute hit among kids.

Ingredients for Flour Buttercream Frosting:
4.5 tbsp All Purpose Flour
200 ml Milk
200 grams Granulated Sugar
200 grams Butter, at room temperature
1tsp pure vanilla extract

Steps:
1. Take  flour, sugar, milk in a pan and combine so no lumps are formed.
2. Place on heat, stir, and cook till it is thick.
3. Add vanilla extract and mix well.
4. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and use an electric beater to beat the mixture till it gets cold.
5. Once cold, add in butter 1 tblspn at a time and keep beating till the mixture is creamed well.
6. Once creamed well, refrigerate the mixture for 10 mins and use it right away.