Pink Velvet Cake

115

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, very soft
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) shortening
2 cups Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
5 large eggs, separated with no yolk traces in egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
20 drops pink food color (gel type)
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F
Butter and flour three, 9-inch cake pans and fit a round sheet of parchment on bottom for easy removal.
Sift together flour and baking soda and set aside.
Using a stand or handheld mixer, mix soft butter, shortening, and sugar. Add one egg yolk at a time waiting for previously added yolk to be fully incorporated.
Scrape bowl well. Add vanilla, almond extract, and food color. Mixture needs to be very fluffy. If not, run a hair dryer on sides of bowl while mixing.
Add one fourth of dry ingredients and once combined add a third of buttermilk. Add another fourth of dry ingredients and once combined add another third of buttermilk. Repeat steps until all incorporated.
In a separate bowl whip egg whites until medium stiff. As soon as they are whipped, fold them gently until combined.
Scrape batter evenly into pans and spread surface evenly.
Place in oven and bake until center of cakes bounce back when lightly pressed with a finger and until you see cake retracting from sides in a few areas. About 25-28 minutes.
Turn baked cake upside down onto plastic food film, a kitchen towel, or parchment paper. Do not remove parchment paper from cakes yet.
Meanwhile prepare cream cheese frosting.
Place a cake layer on a serving platter and remove parchment paper.
Spread approximately one fourth of cream cheese frosting on cake layer. Top with another cake layer and remove parchment paper. Spread one fourth of cream cheese frosting on surface.
Repeat previous steps. Frost top and sides of cake with frosting.
If desired run teeth of a serrated knife on surface to create a pattern and pipe rosettes on surface.