Little Red Velvet Cakes

Yield: 6 cakes, 12 servings

Ingredients

Cakes

• Cooking spray
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 (1 ounce) bottle red food coloring
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (1 pound) box confectioners' sugar

Garnish (optional)

• Sour fruit candies

Instructions

Cakes

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. With spray, coat 6 (4 to 4 1/2 inch diameter) nonstick individual springform pans; dust with flour; tap out excess.
2. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In small cup, dissolve cocoa powder in food coloring.
4. In a 1 quart bowl, mix buttermilk, vinegar, baking soda and vanilla extract.
5. In a large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
6. Beat in eggs, then cocoa mixture. At low speed, alternately beat in flour mixture with buttermilk mixture until blended. Spread in pans.
7. Bake 22 minutes, until wooden pick inserted into centers comes out clean.
8. Let cool in pans on rack.
9. Cut around top edges of cakes to loosen; remove sides of pans.
10. Invert cakes on rack; remove pan bottoms. Re-invert cakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
2. At low speed, gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until no lumps remain and frosting is spreadable.
3. With serrated knife, split cakes horizontally. Fill and frost with cream cheese rosting.
4. Refrigerate cakes until frosting is firm.
5. Garnish with sour fruit candies, if desired.
6. Cakes can be refrigerated in airtight container up to 2 days before serving.

Nutrition

Per serving: 583 calories, 6g protein, 85g carbohydrate, 25g fat, 1g fiber, 103mg cholesterol, 341mg sodium