John Kanell from Preppy Kitchen demonstrates making a red velvet cake, detailing the ingredients needed such as eggs, butter, cocoa powder, and cream cheese. He emphasizes prepping pans with baking spray or butter and cocoa powder for easy release. The batter preparation involves mixing dry ingredients like flour and baking soda separately before combining with wet ingredients including buttermilk, vinegar, and red food coloring. He shares tips on achieving the right consistency and color for the cake, as well as making a cream cheese frosting. The assembly includes layering the cake with frosting and decorating with crumbled red cupcake for a dramatic effect. Baking at 350°F until edges pull away from the pan ensures doneness. Finally, he advises on frosting techniques and storage of the finished cake.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The recipe requires eggs, salt, butter, cocoa powder, baking soda, sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar, red food coloring, all-purpose flour, cream cheese, and powdered sugar.
2. To prepare the pans, use baking spray, butter, and flour or cocoa powder to dust them.
3. The recipe uses 300 grams (2.5 cups) of all-purpose flour.
4. Kosher salt is added in a quantity of almost one teaspoon.
5. Baking soda is added in a quantity of one teaspoon.
6. Room temperature butter is required for the recipe.
7. The recipe uses 150 grams (1.5 cups) of granulated sugar.
8. Two teaspoons of vanilla are added to the mixture.
9. One cup of buttermilk is used, mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar.
10. The recipe uses natural cocoa powder, not Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
11. The acidity in the cocoa powder reacts with the buttermilk.
12. Baking soda is added to react with the acid in the recipe.
13. The recipe uses three tablespoons of cocoa powder.
14. The cake is baked at 350°F for approximately 35 minutes.
15. The cakes are checked for doneness by seeing if the edge is pulling away from the pan and the center is springy.
16. A cake strip is used to ensure a flat top and even bake.
17. The cream cheese frosting requires one cup of butter, two eight-ounce blocks of cream cheese, a teaspoon of vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
18. Powdered sugar is added in a quantity of six cups (680 grams).
19. The frosting is mixed on low speed to avoid air bubbles.
20. The cake is assembled using a cardboard round and frosting as glue.
21. A piping bag is used to decorate the cake with a scallop pattern.
22. A reserved cupcake with more red food coloring is crumbled and used to decorate the side of the cake.
23. The cake can be enjoyed right away or chilled in the refrigerator.