Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Why does red velvet cake have a distinct taste even though it's simply a chocolate cake colored with red food dye? There are two reasons...
- Prep time
- 54 min
- Cook time
- 2 hr 6 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour ((127 grams))
- 1 cup cake flour ((117 grams))
- 1/4 cup natural cocoa powder (sifted (24 grams))
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature (236 milliliters))
- 1/2 cup sour cream (at room temperature (118 milliliters))
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil ((60 milliliters))
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- 2 teaspoons red food coloring
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature (170 grams))
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar ((340 grams))
- 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 1 ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature (339 grams))
- 1 cup powdered sugar ((120 grams))
- kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350° F and set one rack to the middle position.
- 2
Prepare two 9-inch cake tins by greasing them, covering the bottom in a circle of parchment paper, and dusting the sides with flour.
- 3
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- 4
In a liquid measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring.
- 5
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl with a hand-held mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until white and fluffy.
- 6
Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
- 7
Into the egg, sugar, and butter mixture, beat in one-third of the dry ingredients, then one-third of the wet ingredients, alternating until all the ingredients have been added
- 8
Turn off the mixer just before everything is combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl one last time and give everything one final stir.
- 9
Divide the batter equally into both tins. It helps to weigh them on a digital scale to ensure evenness.
- 10
Bake on the middle rack for about 30-32 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean and the cake’s top bounces back when gently pressed.
- 11
Let the cakes cool in their tins for about 10 minutes then turn them out onto wire racks to finish cooling.
- 12
Make the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt until white in color and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and cream cheese and beat on low for about 30 more seconds.
- 13
Once the cakes are fully cooled, it's time to assemble. If your cakes have a domed top, you can level them off with a bread knife and reserve the tops. Frost and decorate the cake however you like. I used the reserved cake tops to crumble up and sprinkle on the cake at the end.