Red Velvet Cake

Tonight we’re hosting dinner for some dear friends, a couple my husband and I have known for many years. I have planned a three course meal, with wine pairings to accompany each dish. For dessert I intend to serve Red Velvet Cake...    
   
***    
Velvet’s Cake    
   
Click-click ignition switch,    
flames roar to life    
Set temperature    
to 180 degrees    
Tinkle of cake tins    
upon countertop    
Two chosen for    
the evening’s follies    
   
Smidge of butter  
to lubricate the tins    
Sift dry ingredients    
with a sieve    
Stir the dark rich    
cocoa and cochineal    
‘Til it’s deliciously    
seductive    
   
Whisk butter ‘til puffed,    
fluffy and light    
Added touch of sweet...    
Follow recipe    
To the letter,  
don’t dash or deviate    
Ease batter into tins,    
Fill amply.    
   
***    
Our would-be dessert safely ensconced in the oven, all appears to be proceeding to plan, when suddenly I hear a terrible fizzling hiss! I fling the oven-door open wide to check the cake.    
   
To my dismay, there is a mighty ‘kaboom!’, as the cake explodes, covering me in a hot mess!  My husband, overhearing the commotion, quickly rushes in to save me.  He does the only gentlemanly thing in that circumstance, which is to lick and nibble every decadent drop of that red velvet debauchery from me. Thus cleansed, I breathe a small sigh of relief.