SERVES 8-10
This Southern-style cake, red in color but chocolate in flavor, has achieved nationwide fame in recent years, with red velvet making its way into cupcakes, lattes, our country’s iconic sandwich cookie, and more. The red in red velvet is achieved by adding red food coloring, though back when food was rationed during World War II, beet juice did the trick, and some recipes still call for the ruby-red root for color.
Traditional red velvet cake is filled and topped with a cream cheese frosting; here Hell’s Kitchen takes a twist on the classic and swaps in mascarpone—a fresh, Italian, cream-based cheese (best known as the star ingredient in tiramisù)—and tops the cake with fresh berries for a fruity finish. Make this cake as part of the Stylish Versions of Everyday Dishes menu (here).
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter, plus more for greasing cake pans
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons red food coloring
½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
8 ounces mascarpone
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup sugar
One 6-ounce box blueberries
One 6-ounce box raspberries
PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans by buttering lightly. In a large bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda together and set aside. In a mixer on medium-high, beat butter and sugar with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, 3–5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time until they are well mixed. Beat in vanilla and red food coloring until incorporated. In a medium bowl with a wire whisk, beat together buttermilk, sour cream, and vinegar. Alternating in two stages, add the flour mix and the buttermilk mix until just incorporated. Don’t overmix. Divide batter equally between the two pans and bake for around 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
IN a mixer on a low-high speed with the paddle attachment, beat the marscapone, cream, and sugar until smooth, around 1 minute. Turn up to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form, around 1 more minute. Don’t overbeat or frosting will go grainy.
PLACE one cake on a serving plate. Add half the frosting and use a small spatula to spread it evenly. Scatter half the blueberries and raspberries. Top with the second cake and smooth the rest of the frosting evenly over the top. Finish with the remaining berries.