Tasty Tuesday: Valentine’s Day Dessert with Chef Mara

Emma Mondo,

CHARLOTTE N.C. – Chef Mara joins the Rising crew to make a Red Velvet Curtain Cake with Cheeky Cherries and Silky Cream Cheese Icing. Check out the recipe below to try this at home for your special someone!

Recipe:
CakeΒ Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups cake flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 cup plus one tablespoonΒ cocoa powder

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

  • 2 eggs

  • 2 teaspoons to 1 bottle red food coloring

  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

  • 1 cup buttermilk

Directions

  1. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.Β  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.

  3. In another mixing bowl, beat the sugar and oil together until well blended.

  4. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well between additions.

  5. Blend in food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar. Scrape bowl down with a rubber spatula.

  6. Alternately blend in flour and buttermilk, (starting and ending with the flour) using a third of each at a time and scraping sides of bowl. Do not overbeat.

  7. Immediately pour into prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

  8. On a wire rack, cool cakes in pans for 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on rack. Fill and frost.

Icing Ingredients

  • 1 8-ounce package cream cheese (at room temperature)

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter (at room temperature)

  • 16 ounces confectioners’ sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • Milk, as needed

Icing Directions

  1. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.

  2. Add butter and continue to beat smooth and well incorporated with the cream cheese.

  3. Beat in the sugar a little at a time, then the vanilla.

  4. If frosting is too thick to spread easily, beat in cold milk a tablespoon or so at a time until of spreading consistency.

Cherry Sauce Ingredients

  • 16 oz. frozen, pitted cherries

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/4Β cup water

  • 1Β tbsp. cornstarch

  • 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

  • 1/4 cup Kirsch

Directions

1.Β Bring cherries, sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often.

2.Β Stir 1 tbsp. lemon juice and cornstarch together in a small bowl until smooth. Whisk into the boiling cherry mixture.

3.Β Return to a boil, stirring constantly. You don’t want this sauce to scorch on the bottom. Cook until the liquid has thickened, which should take about 1 more minute.

4. Remove pan from heat and add kirsch; return to heat and ignite with a match.