Red Velvet Cake Supreme

Red Velvet Cake Supreme

NOTE: This grand beauty is the top of the line for Red Velvet Cakes. From the rich chocolate cake to the coconut cream-filled layers, all topped off with the sugar coated pecans; goodness just oozes out all over the place. So beautiful and stately, you could use it for any special occasion! A great cake for Mother’s Day.

10 tablespoons real butter

2/3 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 (1-ounce) bottle red liquid food coloring

1 square Baker’s semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

2¼ cups sifted cake flour

¼ cup Hershey’s cocoa

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

2 teaspoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons vanilla

2 egg whites

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese

1 stick real butter

4 cups confectioners’ powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

\3 squares Baker’s white chocolate baking chocolate

Filling & Topping Garnish

1 cup soft shredded coconut

1 cup sugar-glazed pecans, left whole

3 large maraschino cherries

pressurized canned whipped cream for fluting edges

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans, and dust with Ghirardelli sweet ground cocoa, or Hershey’s dark unsweetened cocoa. In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, and continue to beat until smooth.

2. Add the food coloring, and melted chocolate (melt slowly in microwave); beat on low until well blended.

3. In medium bowl, combine cake flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda; mix well. In a 2 cup measuring bowl, combine buttermilk and vinegar. Alternately beat dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture into creamed mixture until smooth. End with dry mixture.

4. Stir in vanilla. Beat egg whites in a small bowl until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 25 to 28 minutes until cake bounces back when touched, and is set.

5. Cool cakes in pans for about 10 minutes, and then turn onto wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

For Frosting

1. Mix cream cheese with butter in mixing bowl until smooth; add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and continue beating until mixture is satin-smooth. Add vanilla and white chocolate that has been melted slowly in microwave, and mix together until thoroughly blended.

2. Place first layer of cake on cake stand, and cover with liberal amount of frosting. Sprinkle layer with 1/4 cup coconut. Place second layer over coconut and repeat frosting, topped with coconut. Place third layer over coconut and frost top and sides of cake, using all the frosting. Use remainder coconut on top and sides of cake. Use more coconut if needed.

For Topping

1.

Toast pecans in skillet over medium heat sprinkled with 1 tablespoon sugar about 3 to 4 minutes. Sugar will melt and pecans will become fragrant and toasted. Remove to waxed paper to cool.

2. Spread the pecans over the coconut on top layer. In middle of top layer, place 3 maraschino cherries with stems if possible. Flute the whipped around the bottom and top of cake. Serves 12.