I've been using the recipe for Cakeman Raven's Southern Red Velvet Cake for years with great success. I've done it as a 3-layer 9-inch round, a 2-layer 9x13, filled cupcakes and mini cupcakes and I wouldn't trade the results of the finished product for anything. Unapologetic, old-fashioned red velvet at its best.

There is a challenge that I run across that I've learned to work around but would love to improve on if possible. The cakes come out of the oven looking and feeling perfect, but as soon as they are cool, there is a very small window before a crust forms on the outside. If they are simply frosted, there is no issue; once frosted, there is no trace of the crust. If I carve them immediately after they've cooled, there are also no problems. But if carving or leveling the cakes, or coring for cupcakes when the crust has formed, the outer "skin", for lack of a better word, begins to break and crumble, sometimes trying to run to the sides of a cupcake. The good news is that the cream cheese icing is very forgiving and once it's in place, there is no trace of any crust or crumbling. Even if a cupcake is only partially frosted, the entire top softens with no trace of a crust.

This happens whether using cupcake liners, parchment paper, or any other nonstick options. I know I'm not overbaking them. I've popped them out onto a cooling rack in various increments after baking, and I've let them cool in the pans, all with the same result. I know I can wrap them and have them soften, but it would be nice to be able to make a few dozen cupcakes without having to start wrapping them before frosting. I don't ever do large quantities, but I do it every few weeks, so it would be nice to improve the process.

Can anyone offer any suggestions, perhaps even a small tweak in the recipe that wouldn't change the beloved finished frosted product? Thanks in advance!

(Condensed recipe)

Cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons (1 oz) red food coloring

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift dry ingredients in one bowl; in another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.

Bake at 350, rotating pans halfway through the baking.

Frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, softened

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

4 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish with crushed pecans

AYou can sometimes reduce the sugar in the recipe but that doesn't always work. If your environment is dry, which mine is, especially in the winter, moisture will start being sucked out of the cake immediately after you take it out of the oven. I like to wrap mine when warm but sometimes I'll put a paper towel over them to hold in the moisture while still allowing ventilation. I don't do cupcakes on a large scale but I have plastic containers I put them in while still warm. I think it's more of an environmental thing than your recipe. Get a few plastic containers for your cupcakes and wrap your cakes when they're slightly warm.

A

Thank you, AnnieCahill!! It worked! Yes, I'm in a dry climate, so I couldn't wait to do a test batch of cupcakes. As soon as I took them out of the oven, I put them in Glasslock containers and sealed them, opening them once after about 10 minutes and immediately resealing them. I let them cool at room temperature for a few hours, and they came out perfect! Thanks so much!

Woot!  Glad it worked for you!