Red Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
The best red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, and we're making everything from scratch! The cake is tender, moist, and tangy with a velvety texture. The frosting takes everything to another level!
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 2+3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (, room temperature)
- 1 tbsp gel red food coloring
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (, room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs (, room temperature)
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter (, room temperature)
- 1 lb confectioners' sugar (, sifted)
- 8 oz full fat cream cheese (, cold from the fridge)
Instructions
- 1
Butter and line 2 of 9-inch round cake pans. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC), using top and bottom heat, no-fan assisted.
- 2
Sift all dry ingredients into a bowl. Set aside.
- 3
Whisk buttermilk and red food coloring until there are no lumps. Set aside.
- 4
Add butter and sugar into a standing mixer bowl. Use the paddle attachment and whisk for 5 minutes at medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- 5
Add in eggs, oil, and vanilla and mix well.
- 6
Add in dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk. Mix well after each addition. Remove the mixing bowl from the stand mixer.
- 7
Mix apple cider vinegar and baking soda in a bowl and add into the mixing bowl. Immediately fold everything together using a spatula.
- 8
Pour the batter evenly into the pans. Spread evenly and hit the pans on the kitchen top several times to release air bubbles.
- 9
Bake for 25 minutes on the lower 2/3 rack until they're fully cooked or a skewer inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- 10
Flip the cakes onto a cooling rack after 5 minutes and cool completely.
- 11
Add butter into a standing mixer bowl, and whisk for 5 minutes on medium-high speed using the paddle attachment.
- 12
Gradually add in confectioners sugar, mixing on low speed. Once incorporated, whisk on medium-high speed for 5 minutes.
- 13
Add in cream cheese and mix everything for 1-2 minutes, or only until well combined. Place frosting in a piping bag.
- 14
Cut the dome of the cakes to get evenly flat tops. Grate the domes into fine crumbs to use for decoration later.
- 15
Spread some frosting on a cake stand, and place one cake on top. Pipe the frosting on top and place another cake on it.
- 16
Pipe the frosting all around and on top of the cake. Using an offset spatula, smooth out the frosting. Pipe dollops of frosting on top and press some crumbs on the side. Enjoy!