Red Velvet Snowball Cake

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate or 1 ounce semisweet chocolate, grated
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 (1 ounce) bottle red food coloring
• 2 teaspoons distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 4 ounces chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

Recipe

• 1 for the cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. grease two 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray. line bottom of pans with waxed paper; spray paper with baking spray. dust with flour; tap out excess.
• 2 in a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, grated chocolate, baking powder, and salt.
• 3 in a 2-cup glass measuring cup, stir together buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla, and baking soda.
• 4 in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy. beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture on medium-low speed. pour batter into prepared pans. bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. invert onto wire rack; invert again and let cool completely on rack.
• 5 for the frosting: place chocolate and cream in a small micro-wave-safe bowl. microwave on high 15 to 30 seconds; whisk until smooth. let stand 2 minutes; cover with plastic wrap and chill.
• 6 in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. beat in cooled -chocolate mixture until blended. on low speed, add confectioners' sugar in batches and beat until combined. increase speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
• 7 to assemble the cake: cut each cake layer horizontally with a long serrated knife, to make 4 layers. place one layer on a serving plate and spread with about 1 cup of frosting. repeat with remaining 3 layers, frosting the top and sides of the cake. sprinkle coconut on top and sides of cake. refrigerate cake about 1 hour to let it set.