Dead Velvet Cake

Total Time Prep: 50 min. + chilling Bake: 25 min. + cooling
Yield 16 servings
Contest Winner
Test Kitchen Approved
I made this recipe with my grandma's delicious from-scratch Red Devil's Food Cake. Grandma's cake takes a little longer to prepare than a cake mix, but one bite will tell you it was worth it! The "bloody" glaze makes for a dramatic presentation and is a fun way to serve it for Halloween. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup red food coloring
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-1/4 cups cake flour
  • 2 tablespoons baking cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ERMINE FROSTING:
  • 1-1/2 cups 2% milk
  • 7-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 1-1/2 cups butter, softened
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • GLAZE:
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Red paste food coloring

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cream sugar and shortening until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in food coloring, vinegar and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
  2. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool layers 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
  3. In a small heavy saucepan, whisk milk and flour until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar until dissolved; transfer to a small bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface. Refrigerate until cold.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in cooled milk mixture. Beat in vanilla. Switch to whisk attachment; continue beating on medium speed until frosting is stiff and fluffy.
  5. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting. Refrigerate while making glaze.
  6. In a small saucepan, stir together water and cornstarch until smooth; add corn syrup. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add vanilla and red gel paste food coloring until desired color. Cool to room temperature.
  7. Pour glaze around top and top edges, letting excess drip down.

Nutrition Facts

1 slice: 503 calories, 25g fat (13g saturated fat), 71mg cholesterol, 420mg sodium, 67g carbohydrate (48g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.

I made this recipe with my grandma's delicious from-scratch Red Devil's Food Cake. Grandma's cake takes a little longer to prepare than a cake mix, but one bite will tell you it was worth it! The "bloody" glaze makes for a dramatic presentation and is a fun way to serve it for Halloween. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Recipe Creator

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