Red Velvet Sheet Cake #FantasticalFoodFight

Welcome to another Food Fight! Fantastical Food Fight is a group of food bloggers who will get a theme or ingredient each month and make some sort of variation for it. It could be traditional or nontraditional and can be found in a cookbook, on a blog, or be a blogger's own creation!

This month's Fantastical Food Fight theme is RED VELVET. This unfortunately is going to be the very last Food Fight due to my very busy schedule. I just started my masters program in Accounting at the beginning of the month and I'm trying to cut back on all my "extracurricular" activities, so to speak. I have had so much fun with my blogging friends and have enjoyed seeing what recipes they've shared each month. I highly recommend following their blogs that you can find below in the blog hop.

Red velvet was chosen due to it being Valentine's Day this month. Even though we are past Valentine's Day now, I thought it would still be fun to do it. Now, I was a little nervous about this month's theme because I generally don't care for anything red velvet. It's basically chocolate cake dyed red, but that red is so overpowering and I think that's why I don't like it. However, my family loves red velvet and I decided to try this really pretty sheet cake that had whipped frosting (my daughter's favorite) and raspberries. And surprise, surprise, I liked it! In fact, it's on my favorites list now. It wasn't overpoweringly "red-flavored" and the frosting was so perfect. My daughter and I especially loved the little raspberry on each piece. It complimented the cake very well.

(Print)
What you need:
For the sheet cake:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. cocoa powder
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. vinegar
• 1 1/2 fluid oz. red food coloring

For the frosting:

• 1 cup milk
• 5 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Fresh or frozen raspberries

Directions:

1. For the sheet cake: Spray a large sheet pan with nonstick baking spray and line with parchment paper if desired.
2. In a stand mixer, cream together shortening and sugar until fluffy.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together cake flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside
4. Mix together buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, and eggs - I did this in my measuring glass. Then add the vinegar and stir. Set aside.
5. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk mixture until combined.
6. Add red food coloring and mix until just combined.
7. Pour batter onto prepared sheet pan and gently spread to even out.
8. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting.
9. For the frosting: In a saucepan, combine milk and flour over medium heat. Whisk until thick - I found this happens all of a sudden and quickly, so be sure to stay close by. 
10. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Then add vanilla.
11. In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
12. Then add the milk mixture and beat well. Keep beating until fully combined and fluffy like whipped cream.
13. Frost the cake and top with raspberries.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

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The winner of the OMELETS Food Fight is Sneha of Sneha's Recipes with her Breakfast Pizza Omelette for One. This beautiful omelet is made with herbed butter, mushrooms, chicken sausage, and tomatoes and is a great way to sate your pizza cravings if you are on a gluten-free diet!