Red Velvet Snowball Cake

Red Velvet Snowball Cake

While Allen and I were on vacation visiting our family in California, I took advantage of my time off and baked whenever possible. I think red velvet cake is the perfect cake for the Christmas holiday, and adding coconut over the cream cheese frosting gives it a snowy-winter look. I originally made red velvet snowball cake back in 2011 after finding the recipe in Redbook, and made it several times since (see link below). This time around I used a different recipe for red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting from a few years ago that I made for Allen on Valentine's Day. The crumb on this cake is so tender and moist. The combo of buttermilk, oil, vinegar, vanilla and cocoa powder make this a divine red velvet cake. The cream cheese frosting is so creamy and yummy. If you love red velvet cake, you really need to make this recipe.

Red Velvet Snowball Cake

My slice of Red Velvet Snowball Cake

Ingredients
Cake
3 cups Cake Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

2 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1/2 teaspoon Coarse Salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, softened

2 cups Granulated Sugar

1 cup Vegetable Oil

4 large Eggs, separated

1 and 1/2 tablespoons Pure Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon Distilled White Vinegar

AmeriColor Gel Paste Food Color, Super Red

1 cup Buttermilk

1 package Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

Red Velvet Snowball Cake

Cream Cheese Frosting
16 ounces Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened

4 cups Powdered Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Coarse Salt

2-3 tablespoons Whole Milk

2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

Red Velvet Snowball Cake

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.

Spray cake pans or lightly butter/flour 2, 9" cake pans; set aside.

Separate eggs: yolks in one bowl, and egg whites in another bowl; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.

Using a hand held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter on high speed until smooth and creamy; about 1 minute.

Add sugar and beat on high speed; about 2 minutes.

Such a pretty cake for Christmas

Scrape sides of bowl with a spatula and mix again for 5-10 seconds.

Add vegetable oil and beat on high for 2 minutes.

Add egg yolks, and vanilla extract and combine on medium speed just until incorporated.

Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 5-10 seconds.

On low speed, add the distilled white vinegar, and super red gel paste food color (add a little at a time until you reach desired color).

Yummy Red Velvet Snowball Cake

With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk until incorporated.

Whisk or beat egg whites until thick and foamy for about 2-3 minutes, and then fold into the cake batter with spatula until incorporated.

Pour batter into cake pans, 2/3 full.

Bake for 30-32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. My cake baked in 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool in pans for 30 minutes, and then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Red Velvet Snowball Cake

While the cake is cooling make the cream cheese frosting.

On medium speed using a hand held or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth; about 2 minutes.

Add the powdered sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk and beat for 2 minutes.

On high speed, add the vanilla extract and 1 more tablespoon of milk if needed to thin out, and beat on high for 1 minute.

Such a great tasting cake; it was devoured really fast

Place first cake layer on cake stand or plate, and cover with cream cheese frosting.

Spread the coconut flakes over the cream cheese frosting.

Add the second cake layer on top and frost the cake.

Add coconut flakes on top of the frosting covering it completely.

Cake batter ready for the oven

Place the cake in fridge to set.

Cover and remove 1/2 hour from fridge before serving so it comes to room temperature.

Store cake up to 5 days covered in the fridge.

For the Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe visit, Sally's Baking Addiction:
http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/02/09/red-velvet-layer-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting/

For the Red Velvet Snowball Cake recipe visit: Redbook:
http://www.redbookmag.com/recipefinder/red-velvet-snowball-cake-recipe

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys