Description
Red velvet cake emerges as a Southern classic with deep chocolate undertones and cream cheese frosting. Bakers can create this elegant dessert with simple ingredients and careful mixing techniques, promising a rich, memorable experience.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups (595 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 oz (28 g) red food coloring
- 2 tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Warm the oven to 350F (175C) and prepare cake pans by greasing and lining with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Components: Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl to create a uniform dry base.
- Prepare Liquid Mixture: Combine buttermilk, vinegar, and vanilla extract in a separate container, ensuring thorough integration.
- Create Batter Foundation: Cream sugar and oil in a large bowl until smooth, then add eggs one at a time, blending completely after each incorporation.
- Color and Combine: Introduce red food coloring for vibrant crimson hue, then gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture in three stages, alternating with buttermilk mixture to maintain delicate texture.
- Bake Layers: Evenly distribute batter between prepared pans, smoothing surfaces, and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Rest: Allow cakes to sit in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks for complete cooling.
- Craft Frosting: Whip cream cheese and butter until silky, then blend in vanilla and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
- Assemble and Finish: Once cakes are completely cool, apply frosting between layers and along exterior surfaces. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to stabilize frosting and enhance slice precision.
Notes
- Control Color Intensity: Use gel food coloring for deeper, more vibrant red without altering batter consistency, avoiding watery texture that might impact cake’s structure.
- Prevent Dry Cake: Avoid overmixing batter to maintain moisture; mix just until ingredients combine to keep cake tender and soft, stopping when no flour streaks remain.
- Temperature Precision: Ensure buttermilk and eggs are room temperature for smoother blending and more even cake rise, preventing potential lumpy or uneven baking.
- Frosting Stability: Chill cream cheese and butter before whipping to create firmer, more stable frosting that spreads cleanly and holds cake layers together without sliding.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 56 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg