Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 330kcal
The most PERFECT Red Velvet Cake finished off with decadent cream cheese frosting is the ideal cake for your next celebration! This easy and delicious cake recipe is moist and flavorful and can be made as red velvet cupcakes if you prefer! Wonderful for Valentine's Day and Christmas!
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Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa not Dutch process
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/3 cups oil
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 4 tablespoons liquid red food coloring or 1 tablespoons concentrated food coloring- I used Americolor super red
- 1 teaspoons vanilla
- 3/4 cup buttermilk can use powdered buttermilk - just follow the directions
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick/8 tablespoons - set at room temp about 10 minutes, but should still be cool
- 8 oz cream cheese directly from fridge
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract always use pure vanilla extract if possible
- 4 cups powdered confectioners sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk- although I do like the richness that cream adds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350*F. Butter and flour (3) 6 or 8 inch cake pans or (2 9 inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment.
- In a large bowl whisk cake flour, cocoa and salt, and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer (fitted with the whisk attachment), beat oil and sugar until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, and continue beating. Add food coloring and vanilla and mix well.
- Add flour and buttermilk alternately, in two batches. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix just enough to combine.
- Place baking soda in a bowl or cup, add vinegar and stir (it will foam and expand). Add to cake batter and beat for 10 seconds.
- Divide batter between cake pans. Bake cake layers 25-40 minutes depending on the size of the pans. An inserted toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs when the cakes are done.
- Remove cakes from pans and let cool on a cooling rack. Don't frost until the cakes are completely cooled.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until fully combined, about 30 seconds.
- Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar (one cup at a time) while mixing. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
- Slowly add the heavy cream, a little bit at a time until desired consistency is met. (Don’t add too much if you want the frosting to stay in place when piped on cupcakes.)
- Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Frost cake and chill until ready to serve.
Notes
Tools Needed
6 inch cake pans or 8 inch cake pans for a 3 layer cake 9 inch cake pans for a 2 layer cake hand mixer or stand mixer This recipe will yield about 24 cupcakes, 3- 6" or 8″ cake layers, or 2- 9″ cake layers.Nutrition
Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 177IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg