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red velvet cake

Red Velvet Cake

Soft, moist and fluffy red velvet cake with a slight note of tanginess from the buttermilk frosted with cream cheese frosting.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 slices

Ingredients
  

For the cake

  • 1½ cups vegetable oil
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • red gel food coloring, as needed

For the frosting

  • 400 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ¾ cup softened butter
  • 5 cups icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
 

To bake the cake layers

  • Pre-heat the oven at 180°C. In a mixing bowl, add oil, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until combined.
    red velvet cake
  • Add the sugar and mix until fully incorporated.
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  • Add the cocoa powder, salt and baking soda and beat until incorporated.
    red velvet cake
  • Add the all purpose flour and the red food color and mix until there are no lumps. Scrape the sides down and mix well.
    red velvet cake
  • Grease the cake tins with butter and parchment paper. Divide the batter equally into 3 pans and bake in a pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    red velvet cake

To make the frosting

  • Cool the cake completely. In another mixing bowl, add cream cheese and softened butter and beat in a medium speed until smooth (2 minutes).
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  • Add sugar and vanilla extract and beat until combined and creamy (3 minutes)
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To assemble the cake

  • Place one cake layer on the stand and evenly cover the top with the frosting. Place another layer on top and repeat the process.
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  • Crumb coat the cake by applying a thin layer of frosting on the sides and the top of the cake. Chill for sometime.
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  • Frost the cake with the remaining frosting as desired. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing.
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  • Slice and serve.
    red velvet cake

Notes

  • To prepare instant buttermilk, just add some vinegar to milk and let it sit for 5 minutes before you use it.
  • While preparing the batter for the cake, make sure that all the ingredients are at room temperature.
  • Do not over mix the batter. Follow the instructions as is.
  • Using gel food coloring is preferred to liquid food coloring because liquid food coloring might dilute the batter,
  • Do not over bake the cake. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • While making the frosting, make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
  • Use icing sugar for the frosting. If you are using sugar that is powdered at home, then sieve it before using it in the frosting.
  • If the frosting seems to be a little runny, then add some more icing sugar and beat.
  • If the frosting seems to be curdled, then try chilling it for sometime or even heating it.
  • Chill the cake before slicing to avoid any mess.
  • Before frosting the cake, crumb coat the cake and chill until firm.
Keyword american, cake, christmas, cream cheese, cream cheese frosting, dessert, new year, red velvet, red velvet cake, velvet cake