Red Velvet Cake Recipe
User Reviews
5
Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Description
This recipe relies on a balance of dry ingredients—flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt—with wet ingredients including butter, sugar, eggs, oil, and buttermilk acidified with vinegar. The cocoa powder adds a slight chocolate note beneath the red tint from the gel food coloring. The cake batter is mixed to blend ingredients without overworking, preserving lightness.
The method includes thorough creaming of butter and sugar, gradual integration of eggs and vanilla, followed by alternating flour and buttermilk mixtures during mixing to achieve a smooth batter. The use of oil contributes to moisture retention in the cake crumb.
Once baked in greased and floured pans, the cake layers develop a soft texture suited for pairing with traditional cream cheese frosting. The cake can be served for celebrations or dessert, offering a visually striking and flavorful option that balances sweetness and subtle cocoa aroma.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more to dust the pans
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature, plus more to grease pans, unsalted
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 egg room temp, large
- 3/4 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk room temp, low-fat
- 1 tsp white distilled vinegar
- 1/2 tsp red gel food coloring
- 1 cream cheese frosting recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in the center of the oven. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with butter and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
- Stir then sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 Tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt.
- In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar for a few minutes until sugar is moistened and the mixture looks powdery like snow. Mix in two eggs, adding them one at a time, and beating well to incorporate between each addition. Beat in 2 tsp vanilla extract until blended. With the mixer on, gradually add 3/4 cup oil and mix on medium speed until well incorporated.
- Stir 1 tsp vinegar into your 1 cup buttermilk, then mix it into the batter on medium speed until incorporated.
- Add flour mixture all at once and mix on medium speed just until well blended and no streaks of flour remain, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add 1/2 tsp red gel food coloring (add more to reach the desired color) and mix just until blended, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared 9-inch pans and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Let rest in cake pans for 20 minutes then invert onto a wire cooling rack and let cool completely to room temp before assembling with Cream Cheese Frosting.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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