Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!!!!!
Do you know what today is? Do ya? Do ya?! Todaaaaaayyy..... is my ONE YEAR BLOGIVERSARY!!!!! That's right! I've officially been blogging for one entire year and I am beyond excited to be celebrating it with this cake.
Just a year ago, I was hitting the publish button on my very first post. I was terrified as to what would happen with this blog and where it would take me. I never would have guessed that I would form so many friendships, learn things about blogging that I never even considered with my other blog, and and take my baking and photography skills to new levels.
It's been such a great blogging year and I don't even know what to do with the joy and excitement I feel for the coming year. I have so many ideas and I hope that you will continue to be there with me for the ride. I want to work on more over the top recipes like my S'mores Stuffed Cookies and balance it out with more classic recipes like my vanilla bean and rose madeleines. Then I'd like to round it all out with more healthy savory recipes that will tide us over until dessert and make sure our pants don't start to protest too much. Whatdo you think? Maybe a free e-book somewhere down the line?
I decided I needed a red wine cake because I love red wine and what better way to celebrate than to put a bit of wine in my cake! I used the red wine velvet cake from Brave Tart because she is an amazing baker and I would only trust such a special occassion with her... plus, I've been wanting to try out this recipe for ages! It's so velvety with a great balance of chocolate, red wine, and vanilla. It has a wonderful crumb and will be sure to impress everyone who enjoys a slice. Stella.... is a genius.
I added a layer of my berry wine jam and used a berry wine buttercream frosting in this cake because I wanted it to be all wine all day. If you are afraid it would be too much wine for you, please feel free to take the wine out of the buttercream and just use a berry, chocolate, or vanilla buttercream instead. They all work with this cake. The berry wine jam has a very subtle wine flavor, but feel free to take it out as well if you want. I also found some edible sparkly stuff and my daughter had fun adding it to the chocolate hearts and the buttercream, but you don't have to do all that either!
Recipe Card
Red Wine Velvet Cake with Berry Wine Jam and Buttercream
Ingredients
- 12 ounces all purpose flour
- 2 ounces cocoa powder I used Hershey's natural unsweetened. Do not use Dutch Processed
- 16 ounces unsalted butter room temperature
- 18 ounces brown sugar
- 2 ounces weighed vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 3.4 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnmaon
- seeds from two vanilla beans or two tablespoons vanilla extract
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 12 ounces weighed red wine (choose something sweet)
- 1 ½ ounces weighed vanilla extract
For the Buttercream
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 -4 tablespoons berry syrup
- 2 tablespoons wine syrup optional
For the Buttercream Flavoring
- ½ cup berries
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup wine
- ¼ cup sugar
For the Heart Lollipops
- 4 ounces chocolate chips
- ⅛ teaspoon powdered cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 350 degrees F. Grease two round 9 inch or three 8 inch cake pans.
- Whisk the flour and cocoa powder together in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the butter and sugar and beat until it is well combined and creamy. Add in the oil, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and vanilla bean seeds. Mix well until the mixture is a nice smooth consistency. Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing until each is well incorporated.
- Slowly add the flour and wine in batches, beginning and ending with the flour. Do not over mix. Lightly fold in the remaining vanilla. Evenly pour the batter into the baking pans. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes (I found the 9 inch cake pans that I used needed about 32 minutes) You can tell if the cake is done by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake and a few crumbs stick to it.
- Beat the butter until smooth, light, and creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well until the sugar is fully incorporated before adding more. Add either the 4 tablespoons of berry syrup, or 2 tablespoons each of wine and berry syrup. Alternatively, you may opt for 2 - 4 tablespoons of melted chocolate and cream and replace 3 - 4 tablespoons of powdered sugar with cocoa powder for a quick chocolate buttercream.
- In a small saucepan, heat the berries and sugar together on medium-high. Continue to heat until the berry juice starts to come out and boil. Allow it to boil until about a quarter cup of berry juice is left . Strain out the berries. Repeat the same method using the wine and sugar to make the wine syrup.
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave by heating on 50% power for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals. Mix in the cayenne pepper if using. Quickly put the melted chocolate in a ziplock bag and cut a small hole in the corner. Coat the tips of lollipop sticks with melted chocolate, then lay them down on parchment or wax paper. Draw hearts over the lollipop sticks and allow to dry for about 3 - 4 minutes Slowly remove from the parchment paper
Notes
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
hey Amanda!! Congrats on your ONE YEAR BLOGIVERSARY!!!!! Woot woot!!! and wow, this cake is gorgeous!!! I love using red wine in my cakes!!! totally enhances the flavor!!! beautiful job!!!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
What a gorgeous and d Lucius cake for a big milestone. Congrats and many more!
Amanda says
Thank you so much! Im excited for year 2!!
Kim (Feed Me, Seymour) says
Happy blogiversary! This beauty is the perfect way to celebrate!
Amanda says
Thank you!
Laura says
Congratulations on your blogiversary! I found your blog a few months ago and am always dying to try the recipes right away- I would never have guessed you'd only been doing it for a year! Your photos are beautiful and the flavor combinations always keep me intrigued. Keep it up, girl, you're doing great!
Amanda says
Laura, you just made my week!! That means so much to me and really makes me so happy to hear! I'm always wondering what people think about the recipes, so im glad to hear you enjoy them! (FYI, Feedback is really appreciated and if you ever have any questions or suggestions, please let me know anytime!)
Mischa @ Accidental Farm Wife says
Happy Blogiversary!! Will have to make this if just for that amazing buttercream!
Christie says
Happy Blogiversary! This cake is a fantastic way to celebrate Wine in the cake and the frosting is just brilliant.
Kimberly Ann @ Bake Love Give says
Happy Blogiversary! Sounds like you have quite the plans for 2015! The colors of this cake are stunning and I can't get over how delicious berry wine jam sounds... 🙂
Amanda says
I hope 2015 will be a good year (at least im going to do my best to make it great!) the berry wine jam is my favorite!!
Heather / girlichef says
The dusty rose color of this buttercream is so incredibly gorgeous! Plus, it sounds so darn good. Wine syrup = win.
Amanda says
The color of the frosting is even better in person, and you can really see those sparkles. Wine syrup all the things!!
Amy @Very Culinary says
Making it to one year is huge, congrats! And what better way to celebrate than with this gorgeous cake!
Amanda says
Thank you so much!! I cant believehow fast one year goes by!
Amanda says
HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY!! This cake looks like the perfect way to celebrate!!
Amanda says
Thanks so much Amanda! Your blog is such an inspiration to me!!
DessertForTwo says
Happy anniversary! this cake is gorgeous!
Amanda says
Thank you so much!
laurel says
Congratulations on your one year blogiversary! I think of you often, and hope you are well :-).
Amanda says
Thank you so much Laurel!
Ashley | The Recipe Rebel says
LOVE this cake -- so perfect for Valentine's Day and for any celebration! Congrats on your first year -- I'm coming up on that quickly too! Love all of your new ideas 🙂
Amanda says
Thank you! You are still in your first year? Looking at your blog, i would have guessed youve been blogging for ages!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
Yay! Happy blogiversary! I'm loving this cake, it looks perfect for valentine's with the red velvet and all the lovely fillings and frostings 🙂
Amanda says
Thank you so much! Yes! I originally didnt even think about Valentines Day until o started writing the post and realized how perfect it would be
Maryanne @ the little epicurean says
Happy Blogiversary! Celebrations always require cake. That berry wine jam sounds fabulous! 🙂
Amanda says
Thank you! The berry wine jam is my favorite. It has a really nice hint of wine without being overwhelming.