Red Velvet Peppermint Cake

RED VELVET PEPPERMINT CAKE From Southern Living 1998 Holiday Entertaining Prep: 15 min Bake: 25 min This is a great holiday twist on those chocolate-swirled marbled cake batters we've loved for years. It's a super-quick recipe that starts with two mixes, stirs in a few clever ingredients, such as buttermilk, cocoa, and cider vinegar, and yields a terrific cake with make-from-scratch red velvet flavor. 1 (18.25oz) box white cake mix (such as Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Classic White Cake Mix) 3 egg whites 1 1/3 cups buttermilk 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 (9oz) box yellow cake mix (such as Jiffy Golden Yellow Cake Mix) 1/2 cup buttermilk 1 large egg 1 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa 1/2 tsp. baking soda 2 Tbsp liquid red food coloring 1 tsp. cider vinegar Peppermint Cream Cheese frosting (recipe follows) Garnishes: Holiday Trees (recipe follows), 6 (5-inch) red and white candy canes, crushed, 12 (5-inch) green and white candy canes broken, 12 round peppermint candies 1. Beat white cake mix and next 3 ingredients according to package directions. 2. Beat yellow cake mix and next 6 ingredients according to package directions. Spoon red batter alternately with white batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round

cake pans. Swirl batter gently with a knife. 3. Bake at 350� for 22 - 25 minutes until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. 4. Spread Peppermint-Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish, if desired, and serve within 2 hours. Makes 1 3-layer cake. Cake may be chilled up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month. If cake is frozen thaw completely before garnishing to prevent crushed candy from running. Do not refrigerate after garnishing. Peppermint-Cream Cheese Frosting Prep: 10 min 1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened 1 cup butter, softened 1 2-lb package powdered sugar 2 tsp. peppermint extract (vanilla may be substituted) 1. Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed on electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at low speed until smooth. Add extract, beating until blended. Makes about 5 cups. Quick Peppermint-Cream Cheese Frosting: Stir together 3 (16 oz) containers ready-to-spread cream cheese frosting and 2 tsp. peppermint extract. Holiday Trees: Prep: 35 min Stand 8 hr 1 (16-oz) package powdered sugar 3 Tbsp. meringue powder 6 Tbsp. warm water 6 (4-inch) sugar ice-cream cones 12 (5 inch) red and white candy canes, coarsely crushed 12 (5 inch) green and white candy canes, coarsely crushed Edible glitter or sparkling sugar (optional) 1. Beat powdered sugar, meringue powder, and 6 Tbsp warm water at low speed with electric mixer until blended. Beat at high speed 4-5 minutes until stiff peaks form. If icing is too stiff, add additional warm water, 1/4 tsp at a time, until desired consistancy. 2. Spoon icing into a zip-top plastic bag, seal. Snip a 1/4 inch hole in one corner of bag. Pipe 2 rows of points around 1 ice cream cone, beginning at large end and working upward to resemble a tree. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and if desired, edible glitter or sparkling sugar. Invert two ice cream cones stacking one on top of the other, repeat decorating procedure. Invert remaining 3 ice cream cones stacking on on top of the other, repeat decorating procedure. Let stand 8 hours. Store in a cool dry place up to 1 month. Makes 3 trees. Note: for fuller trees, double icing recipe, and repeat piping procedure before adding crushed candy canes.

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