Summertime Blues

I think it’s odd that Alan Jackson sang the Country & Western hit “Summertime Blues” and yet today’s recipe is his, and it’s all about the red, not blue! Hmmm...

I clipped Jackson's recipe more than 25 years ago from the Sunday paper. Red Velvet Cake was popular then, and it’s popular now.

Over the past decade or two, we’ve seen red velvet cupcakes, whoopie pies, brownies, cookies, cheesecake - even trifles. But there is nothing like the original Red Velvet Cake. It’s not fancy, but it certainly is one of the easiest cakes I have ever made, and everybody loves it.

Most people I know prefer the standard cream cheese frosting (shown in the photos below). The combination is too sweet for my palate. Instead, I prefer this recipe for Tangy Whipped Icing (first photo), which pairs perfectly with the not-too-sweet cake.

In his song, Jackson croons, “There ain’t no cure for the summertime blues!”

I think there is. This cake. (Even though it is late October and closer to winter than summer!)

~ David

Red Velvet Cake

 Cake
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups canola oil
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 1-ounce bottle red food coloring

Icing
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sour cream
1/4-1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Divide batter among the pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Allow the layers to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto racks to cool completely.

When cakes are cool, whip the heavy cream and sour cream together until they form soft peaks. Add the extract and continue beating while gradually adding the sugar. The cream should form stiff peaks, but do not over beat.

Using a spatula, loosely spread a thin coating of the icing over the bottom layer of the cake. Add the second layer, topping was with the remaining icing. You can ice the sides, if you wish.

Makes 12 servings.

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