Valentine’s Day is over and Lent has started, but I still owe a friend a cake. So I’m making her this Red Velvet Cake that is both easy and delicious. I hope you all have a wonderful cake-filled weekend!
Red Velvet Cake
This cake isn't hard to make but it takes some time to frost. And if you like a LOT of frosting, double the frosting recipe… you can always just eat the extra.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 ¾ cups flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened, room temperature
- 2 ⅛ cups sugar
- 1 cup avocado oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ teaspoons distilled white vinegar
- 2-3 Tablespoons beet powder food coloring
- 1 cup buttermilk
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 16 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Instructions
Cake
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Preheat the oven to 350℉. Then grease 2 9" cake pans that are 2" high or higher. Line the bottom of each pan with a round piece of parchment paper.
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Using a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat together the butter and sugar. Beat until it's light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
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Beat the oil into the butter and sugar and then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Them mix in pure vanilla extract and vanilla. Beat until the batter is combined, but don't over beat the eggs.
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Beat in the red coloring until you reach the color you prefer. Then on low speed, use the mixer to beat in half of the dry ingredients. Then beat in the buttermilk, and then beat in the rest of the dry ingredients.
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Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cook on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and allow them to finish cooling on a wire rack.
Frosting
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In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter and cream cheese until it's smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
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Slowly beat the sugar into the butter/cream cheese mixture, about 2 Tablespoons at a time. Then beat in the vanilla and salt and keep beating until smooth and fluffy.
Assembling the Cake
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Cut the cool cakes in half so you have four halves. Then put one cake layer on a cake plate and add a thin layer of frosting. Then layer the other cakes on top, with a layer of frosting between each one. Then use the last of the frosting to frost the top and sides.
