Red Velvet Cake
A classic dessert known for its striking red color and rich flavor, perfect for any occasion with its light texture and creamy frosting.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 14 ounces all-purpose flour
- 14 ounces granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 4 ounces vegetable oil
- 8 ounces buttermilk (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 6 ounces unsalted butter (melted but not hot)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring gel
Frosting Ingredients
- 12 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 8 ounces unsalted butter (softened)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or orange extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 26 ounces powdered sugar (sifted)
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare two 8 x 2 inches cake pans with cake goop or your preferred pan release.
- In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, vinegar, butter, vanilla, and red food coloring; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix on low speed for a few seconds to combine.
- Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until smooth (about 1 minute), scraping the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
Baking
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Frosting
- In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, mix softened butter until smooth.
- Add in softened cream cheese and combine until smooth; scrape the bowl.
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar on low to avoid spills, then add vanilla extract and salt, mixing until just combined and smooth.
- When the cakes are fully cooled, decorate as desired. Chill cakes before frosting.
Notes
Make sure your eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature for better mixing. Use gel food coloring for a brighter red color that does not affect the batter’s consistency. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the cream cheese frosting. For extra flavor, try adding a touch of almond extract to the frosting.