Green Velvet Cake Part 3

The green velvet birthday cake was a hit at work. You can not go wrong with buttercream.

Adapted from Paula Deen's Red Velvet Cupcakes and Wilton's Buttercream Icing. I used two 9 inch square cake pans.

Ingredients

Cake

• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons green food coloring
• 1 1/2teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour cake pans

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Butter Cream Icing

• 4 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 pounds of powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk or water
  

In large bowl butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use

Separate out 1/3 of the buttercream icing and dye it green with gel food coloring. Once cakes are cooled add a thin layer of buttercream icing to the top of one cake, stack the other cake on top. Frost the outside of the cake with the white buttercream and decorate with the green.