Red Velvet Cake

To prepare the red velvet cake, start with the base batter: in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the room temperature butter and granulated sugar 1. Begin working the mixture at medium speed 2 until it is well whipped and the sugar has dissolved. Only at this point can you add about half of the lightly beaten eggs 3.

Continue working the mixture and when absorbed, add the rest of the eggs 4; work for a few more moments, then add the salt 5 and the seeds of the vanilla bean 6.

Turn on the mixer again for a few seconds at medium speed, then add the red food coloring 7 and whip everything for 3-4 minutes until you get a smooth and fluffy mixture 8. Stop the mixer, detach the bowl, and sift the cocoa powder inside 9.

Mix very gently with a spatula using movements from bottom to top: mix just enough to absorb the cocoa, only this way will you avoid deflating the batter 10. Add the yogurt all at once 11 and mix carefully using the spatula 12.

Sift the flour along with the baking powder directly into the mixer bowl 13. Mix from bottom to top 14 until completely incorporated and you have a homogeneous mixture. Finally, add the vinegar 15

and mix again 16. Position a 20 cm (8-inch) pastry ring on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Line the ring with a strip of parchment paper to raise the edge 17. Pour the batter inside and level the surface with a spatula 18.

At this point 19 bake in a preheated static oven at 350°F for about 75 minutes. Make sure the cake is cooked by performing the toothpick test, and take it out of the oven 20. Let it cool slightly, then remove the steel ring and the parchment paper 21.

Turn the cake upside down on a plate and let it cool completely 22. At this point, set aside the base of your red velvet and prepare the cream cheese frosting. Pour the cream cheese into the mixer fitted with the paddle attachment 23. Add the room temperature butter and turn the machine on at high speed for a few seconds 24.

Then add the powdered sugar 25 and the grated lemon zest 26. Work everything for 3-4 minutes, increasing the mixer speed. You should obtain a smooth and soft consistency 27.

At this point 28, transfer to a bowl 29 and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, proceed to cut the cake. You can make small incisions in 3 points of the cake to be more precise. Then, with a serrated knife, cut the first layer, continuously rotating the cake 30.

Gently move it aside 30 and do the same for the second layer 32, to get 3 equal layers 33.

At this point, place the frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip 34. Start assembling the cake, keeping in mind that the part that was your initial surface will now be the bottom layer. Fill the cake with about 1/3 of the frosting by squeezing out dollops 35 and placing them next to each other to cover the entire surface of the cake. Place the second layer of cake on top 36

and do the same as before, filling it with half of the remaining frosting 37. Then place the last layer 38 and finish decorating with dollops of cream cheese frosting 39.

Cut the raspberries in half 40 and use them to decorate the cake, spreading them out neatly (41-42).

Complete the decoration with a few small meringues 43 and pieces of gold leaf 44, handling it as little as possible. Your Red Velvet cake is ready 45, store it in the refrigerator until ready to enjoy.