As I was looking at the cake recipes I had, I realized I didn't have a red velvet cake recipe and that I really should. So I made one. The cream cheese frosting makes the cake, but it really is a great cake. This was well liked by coworkers. The biggest issue I had with making it is that I couldn't get my red food dye open, so of course it ended up all over my hands. A few notes with this cake - do not substitute the cake flour or buttermilk. The velvety texture of the cake is dependent on those ingredients. I researched recipes extensively before settling on this one from Recipe TinEats.
Ingredients:
Cake:
2 2/3 cups plain cake flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 1/2 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid variety)
Frosting:
14 ounces (2 bricks) cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line two 9-inch round pans with parchment paper.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar in a bowl with electric beater well combined.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, until will combined.
5. Mix vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla, buttermilk, and red food coloring together in a meausuring cup. Slowly add mixture to the batter. Beat until smooth.
6. Gradually add dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix.
7. Divide the batter between cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cakes are set. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
8. To make frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until smooth.
9. Gradually add powdered sugar until frosting reaches desired consistency.
10. To assemble the cake, cut off the rounded domes of each half of the cake so that the layers will be flat. Place one layer dome side down on a cake board.
11. Spread 1 1/2-2 cups of frosting on top of the layer. Top with second half of cake, rounded side down. Spread remaining frosting. Trimmed off cake can be crumbled and used to decorate the cake.
Ingredients:
Cake:
2 2/3 cups plain cake flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 1/2 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid variety)
Frosting:
14 ounces (2 bricks) cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line two 9-inch round pans with parchment paper.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar in a bowl with electric beater well combined.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, until will combined.
5. Mix vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla, buttermilk, and red food coloring together in a meausuring cup. Slowly add mixture to the batter. Beat until smooth.
6. Gradually add dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix.
7. Divide the batter between cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cakes are set. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
8. To make frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until smooth.
9. Gradually add powdered sugar until frosting reaches desired consistency.
10. To assemble the cake, cut off the rounded domes of each half of the cake so that the layers will be flat. Place one layer dome side down on a cake board.
11. Spread 1 1/2-2 cups of frosting on top of the layer. Top with second half of cake, rounded side down. Spread remaining frosting. Trimmed off cake can be crumbled and used to decorate the cake.