Red Velvet Cake
User Reviews
4.6
Red Velvet Cake
Description
This Red Velvet Cake combines all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt as dry ingredients. The wet ingredients include buttermilk, coconut oil, eggs, vanilla extract, hot coffee, and red gel food coloring that creates the signature red hue. The coffee intensifies the cocoa flavor without imparting a coffee taste. Mixing the batter fully incorporates these elements for an even color and texture.
It is baked in two 8-inch pans lined with parchment for easy removal and even cooking. The cake emerges moist with a tender crumb, exhibiting a subtle chocolate flavor and vibrant color. Layering the baked cakes with a cream cheese frosting made from whipping cream, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and icing sugar complements the cake with a smooth tanginess and rich texture.
The cake can be assembled as two, three, or four layers depending on how the layers are split, adjusting the overall height and presentation. The recommendation to use gel food coloring helps achieve this classic color without affecting flavor.
Using homemade buttermilk by adding lemon juice to milk is an acceptable substitute though buttermilk is preferred for best results. Storage and layering flexibility make this cake suitable for various occasions requiring a refined red velvet dessert.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar granulated
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 2 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup coffee hot
- 1 tablespoon red gel food coloring
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1½ cups whipping cream
- 16 ounce cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups icing sugar same as powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Prepare the baking pans: Prepare 2 8 inch cake pans. Cut out 2 parchment paper circles that will fit inside each pan and spray them with some cooking spray. Make sure to spray some cooking spray up the sides of the pans too.
- Make the cake batter: In the bowl of your mixer, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda and using the paddle attachment mix everything together until well combined, on low speed.
- In a large bowl mix together the buttermilk, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the coffee and food coloring.
- Add the wet ingredients to the mixer bowl and mix everything over medium speed for about 2 minutes, until everything is well combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a spatula and mix as needed. Add more red food coloring as needed to get to the desired color. Pour the batter into the 2 prepared pans, equally.
- Bake: Place the cake pans in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. To test if the cake is done, insert a toothpick in the middle of the cake and if it comes out clean, it's done. Let the cake cool in the pans for about 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack or a cutting board and cool completely.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting: In the bowl of your mixer whip the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Remove from mixer bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In the bowl of your mixer, beat the cream cheese together with the vanilla extract and icing sugar, until smooth. Fold in the whipping cream gradually until well combined.
- Assemble the cake: Cut the top part of the cake first and crumbled it up in a bowl, we'll use this for decoration after.
- Cut each cake into 2 pieces. Start by placing 1 cake layer onto your serving cake platter, then spread some of the cream cheese frosting, about 1/4, evenly over the cake layer. Repeat with remaining cake layers. Using a spatula, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cake and up the sides. Decorate the cake with the remaining cake crumbs if desired.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice with milk and let it curdle as a substitute, though buttermilk is recommended for best results.
- Coffee is added to deepen the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee.
- Use red gel food coloring over liquid for better color and no off-flavors.
- The cake can be made in 2, 3, or 4 layers; using multiple pans helps avoid cutting the layers.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 721 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 721kcal | 36% |
| Carbohydrates | 81g | 27% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 41g | 63% |
| Saturated Fat | 27g | 135% |
| Cholesterol | 138mg | 46% |
| Sodium | 685mg | 29% |
| Potassium | 232mg | 5% |
| Sugar | 60g | 120% |
| Vitamin A | 1230IU | 25% |
| Vitamin C | 0.2mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 126mg | 13% |
| Iron | 1.6mg | 9% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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