Rites of Celebration

...and the food that comes with them

Sean Lewis

The end of May and month of June are chock full of rites of passage that include some kind of celebration. Confirmation, graduation, marriage, anniversaries— these events abound and so do foods to celebrate them. In my family, birthdays are plentiful during late May and June. In fact, my birthday falls in this period. 

The foods to celebrate these events vary with culture and geography. But in our area, there is a constant that appears at most celebrations – the cake. When I was growing up, the cake always served at my birthday party was a Red Velvet Cake. My wife now makes it for me, and our tradition continues. 

Red Velvet Cakes have long traditions at many celebrations. In the southern part of the United States it is referred to as the “Chocolate Cake of the South” and it received a public relations boost when it was featured in the 1989 film “Steel Magnolias” as a groom’s cake. Even Oprah designated Red Velvet Cake as one of her personal favorites.  (At least according to Wikipedia!)

Red Velvet Cakes are rich, sweet, and have a distinctive red or red/brown color and have a butter roux frosting.  Mmm – it’s a good thing my birthday is coming right up so I can have some!

Red Velvet Cake

Yield 1-9” cake

Ingredients:
3 ¾ C all purpose flour
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
12 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
2 ¼ C granulated sugar
¾ C vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp red food coloring
1 ½ C buttermilk

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350º.
Butter and flour 2-9” diameter cake pans and line each pan with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a small mixing bowl.
Cream the butter, sugar and oil in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl until incorporated.
Beat in the vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring.
Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk.  Mix well after each addition.
Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.
Bake 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes before removing cake from pans.
Slice each cake into 2 layers.

Frosting

Ingredients:
½ C heavy cream
1 C whole milk
½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out
7 Tbsp all purpose flour
3 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 ½ C superfine sugar

Method:
Combine cream, milk, vanilla bean and the seeds in a small pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Remove the vanilla bean and discard.
Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly until thickened to a paste (about 2 minutes).
Scrape into a bowl, cover and refrigerate until cold (about 2 hours).
Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat until the mixture is very fluffy and the sugar is totally dissolved. 
Add the cold paste a few tablespoons at a time to the butter mixture and whip until light and fluffy. 

Assembly:
Place a layer of cake on the serving dish.
Spread frosting over the top.
Place the next layer of cake and again frost the top.
Continue through all four layers.

Enjoy.