Red Velvet Cake Layered with Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients (cake or 24 cupcakes)

• 2 1/2 cups of cake flour or all purpose flour 
• 2 tsps cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Red coloring (I used 3 tsps liquid. Use your best judgement on how red you want it)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsps vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Ingredients (frosting)

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 16oz cream cheese (room temperature)
• 4 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients (raspberry sauce)

• 1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
• 2 Tbsps orange juice

Preparation (cake and cupcakes)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl sift the flour, add salt and cocoa, and whisk everything well
3. In a separate large bowl using an electric hand mixer beat the oil with the sugar on low until well combined
4. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, red coloring and beat on low until well combined
5. Pour 1/3 of the dry mix into wet mix to start your batter.  Mix until well combined
6. Add half the buttermilk and mix
7. Add another 1/3 of the dry mix into the batter and mix well until combined
8. Add the rest of the buttermilk and mix
9. Add the rest of the dry mix and make sure everything is well combined
10. On a small bowl mix the vinegar and the baking soda with a spoon.  It'll fizzle.  Add it to the batter and mix everything one final time
11. If making a cake pour the batter into a cake pan and bake it on 350 for about 30 minutes or until stick comes out dry. I used a 3" deep 8" round cake pan
12. If making cupcakes line your paper cups on a cupcake or muffin baking pan.  Pour the batter into a jar and fill each cup to about 3/4 full.  Using a spoon to do this is not efficient.  I use a juice jar and it's really fast!  Bake on 350 for about 20 minutes or until stick comes out dry

Preparation (frosting)

1. In a large bowl sift the confectioner's sugar
2. Add the butter sticks, cream cheese, and vanilla extract
3. Using an electric hand mixer beat everything on low until frosting consistency is achieved.  It'll take about 2 minutes.  Don't freak out if at first it seems too dry and powdery.  It'll smooth out eventually

Preparation (raspberry sauce)

1. Add the raspberries and orange juice to a small sauce pan 
2. Heat on medium allowing the raspberries to dissolve.  It should have a thick consistency.  Not completely liquid
3. Place it in the refrigerator and allow it to get cold

                                                 

Experience

This was the first time I made a cake with this recipe.  I cut it in three layers and layered some frosting and raspberry sauce.  The result was a moist and tasty cake!  My daughter loves red velvet and I've gotten great compliments from other kids who don't usually eat frosting but love this frosting.  I basically combined a few recipes I saw online and tried a few variations on some of the ingredients.  I like moist cakes so I decided to play around with the raspberry idea.  I'm not sure if the orange juice is necessary or not but that's how I've always done it.  Acidity I guess lol!   I hope you make this cake or cupcakes soon!  Oh, if making cupcakes you can spoon the frosting on top and spoon a little bit of the raspberry sauce on top of that! It's delicious!