Red Velvet Romance

One thing I love to do is spoil other people, so when the urge strikes I love to improvise. This time around it was with Red Velvet Cake and my weakness: Nutella. Oh yeah, and bake it in a mason jar and you have heavenly, adorable perfection.

 Homemade Red Velvet

2-1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
3 tbsp. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 oz. red food coloring
1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. cider or white vinegar
1 tsp. baking soda

 Use liquid red food coloring

Cream Cheese Icing: 

1/2 cup of butter (1 stick), room temperature

8 oz of Philly cream cheese (1 package), room temperature

2 - 3 cups of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

For Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F,  in a mixing bowl, sift together flour and salt. Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a small bowl, stir together cocoa powder, food coloring and vanilla extract. Beat this into the butter mixture. Stir 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, alternating with 1/2 of the buttermilk, another 1/3 of flour, the remaining buttermilk, and the remaining flour mixture; stir just until blended.
       In a cup, combine vinegar and baking soda. Mixture will fizz. Stir this into the batter and combine well. Divide the batter evenly in mason jars.
Bake and watch closely until they set and a wire or knife comes out clean.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

For Icing:

(acquired from simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cream_cheese_frosting/)

     With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

    Add the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until you get to desired sweetness and thickness. Either spread on with a blunt knife or spatula, or spoon into a piping bag to decorate your cake or cupcake.

 After, turn jars upside down, cut tops off of cake, and layer nutella and icing (cut as many layers as you like). Place cake pieces back on top of layers and top with cream cheese icing and chocolate sprinkles for a nice touch. 

                                                                                  Enjoy!