A few housekeeping items before we get started…

1. If the thought of Twilight makes you cringe, skip to the pictures, and just look at the recipe. This red velvet cake is amazing – so moist, turns out perfectly, and the cream cheese icing is to die for. (Pun intended.)
2. I’ve never been very good at resisting peer pressure.
3. I never planned to read Twilight or watch the movies. Zero desire. Alas, see #2.  And now I’m obsessed. I’m so obsessed that I can’t even find it in myself to be embarrassed about the rest of this post.
4. Yes, I do realize that Twilight was written for “young adults,” aka, not 24-year-old professionals. My mom, brother, and boyfriend remind me of this daily. Too bad.
5. If you are appalled that I am posting an ode to Twilight, rest in comfort that you are not the only one. My mom, bless her heart, can’t wait for me to see the movie “so that this will all be over.” HA! There’s two more movies coming, mom! (Joke’s on her.)

I’ve been literally counting down the days until June 30. I’ve watched the trailer at least 100 times. I’ve re-read the book. And then, in a strange twist of fate (a mean joke really), I found out that I would be traveling on opening day.
 
Yep – I’m on a 6am flight out of Austin, and I return at 11pm the same day. Just in time to miss all the action. And let’s be honest – I’m not 13 anymore, I can’t just go to the midnight premiere and then pull an all-nighter. Clients aren’t into the whole “look like death” thing. (Although, I know who would be…cough, cough, Edward.)
 
Needless to say, I was upset. And, I tend to bake when I’m upset. But, the recipe had to be fitting, and this Red Velvet Cake fits the bill perfectly. Cake that’s red like blood; icing that’s white like a vampire’s skin…bingo! I’m in! 

Gather Up:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 oz. red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans.

Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Add remaining liquid ingredients and stir together with a whisk until blended. Set aside. Place all your dry ingredients in your mixing bowl, and stir together with another wire whisk.

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high speed for about a minute or until completely combined.

Split the batter evenly, and pour into cake pans.

Drop the pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. After about 10 minutes, remove from pans, and cool completely on a wire rack.

Side note: They kind of look like two red vampire eyes, don’t they? Like the eyes of the newborn army.

While the cakes are cooling, whip up the cream cheese icing.

Gather Up:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups confectioners’ sugar

Sift the sugar, and set aside.

 
Beat cream cheese and butter on high until creamy.

Add vanilla.

Then, add the sugar in batches. Scrape down the sides in between each addition.

Annnd…cream cheese icing!


Stack the cakes, and frost away. Then, cut yourself a big piece, and settle in for a Twilight movie marathon (if you haven’t already) before you head to the midnight showing. Just don’t rub it in…I’m having a hard enough time as it is.

And because I’ve never had a chance to publicly take sides before, I’ll do it now. I’ve been Team Edward since book one. (And don’t worry, I’ll be at the IMAX theater Thursday night with Kate who volunteered to wait to see it with me. Lylas. No, seriously.)

Recipe from Bakerella.