Colorful Velvet Cakes Recipe
Let's Talk Velvet Cakes~
When it comes to velvet cakes, why does red get all the glory? These buttermilk cakes are just as good and even a little more exciting when made with other colors. That's all that velvet cakes are, in case you're not quite sure what a velvet cake is. Buttermilk, cocoa powder and food coloring. It's time for red to move over and give the other colors a chance. While it's origin is unclear, most people believe that this cake got its name because of the reddish hue that was produced by the reaction between natural cocoa powder and buttermilk. Now that we use food coloring to heighten the color, why not have some fun! This Easter the hubby and I will be celebrating alone, so I wanted to make us something special for dessert. I decided to make individual Easter Cakes. There is something about having your own special cake, even when it's not your birthday! I then thought, Hey, why not make velvet cakes, in four different colors! Off I went to the kitchen. If you have ever made an Ombre' cake, you know the dishes involved, but other than that, the cakes was really easy and fun to make. I used a large egg shaped cookie cutter to cut out the shapes and then proceeding as I would with any layered cake. I decided to go with green, pink, yellow and purple. Why? Those are colors I had:) You could use any color that you wanted, have some fun and experiment, the end result will be cake!! How great is that!!
Basic Velvet Cake Recipe:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup oil
- 1 cup buttermilk (to sour milk, 1 T white vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 1 cup)
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 1 T vinegar
- 2 oz. food coloring, of your choice
- 2 1/2 cup flour
- 1 t salt
- 1 1/2 sugar
- 1 T cocoa powder
- 1 t baking soda
- 2 oz. green food coloring
- 2 oz yellow food coloring
- 2 oz purple food coloring
- 2 oz pink food coloring
- Cream cheese frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 t vanilla extract
- lb powered sugar (4 cups)
- few drops of food coloring, optional
- 4 cups sweetened shredded coconut, optional
- Candy Easter Eggs, optional
For Cakes:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2-8 inch round cake pans, per color. Set aside.
Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with a wire whisk.
Add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and vinegar. Mix together well. Slowly add food coloring, color of your choice. Mix together until well blended. Set aside.
In another mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients. Mix together with a second wire whisk.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix on medium high for 2 minutes or until completely combined. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack until completely cooled. Continue with remaining colors
For Frosting:
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on high until creamy. Add vanilla extract and blend together. Slowly add sugar, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Beat together until light and creamy. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired. Assemble cakes and frost. Decorate cakes with shredded coconut and candy eggs.
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