Small Red Velvet Cake
User Reviews
4.7
72 reviews
Excellent
Small Red Velvet Cake
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This Small Red Velvet Cake is a two-layer 6-inch cake with a vivid red crumb flavored with cocoa powder, vinegar, and vanilla, baked to a tender crumb. It offers options for an ermine (boiled milk) frosting or classic cream cheese frosting, both adding a creamy finish that complements the cake's slight chocolate flavor and striking color.
Description
The cake batter combines softened butter, sugar, egg, and vegetable oil with red food coloring and vinegar for acidity. The dry ingredients include sifted cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, which are gently folded in alternately with buttermilk to create a moist and tender crumb. The red coloring is balanced by mild cocoa flavor and tang from vinegar.
Baked in prepared 6-inch pans, the cakes require careful doneness checks to avoid sinking. The cake works well with the traditional cream cheese frosting for tangy sweetness or the less common ermine frosting, which is a cooked flour and milk base whipped with butter and flavored with vanilla for a silky texture.
The small size makes it suitable for intimate gatherings or special occasions, providing a colorful and flavorful dessert.
Storing the cake covered in the refrigerator helps maintain freshness. When testing for doneness, avoid opening the oven too early to prevent the cake from collapsing.
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Ingredients
Special Equipment
- 2 6-inch cake pans
- parchment paper for cake pans
- Fine-mesh strainer for sifting dry ingredients and straining
- Handheld electric mixer
- plastic wrap for Ermine Frosting
6-inch Red Velvet Cake
- 1/4 cup butter softened, 2oz
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
- 1 egg room temperature, large
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 1 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup cake flour sifted, 3 tablespoons (142g
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder sifted, 5g
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
Ermine Frosting
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
- 3/4 cup milk preferably whole
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour all-purpose or cake flour is fine, 23g
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 3/4 cup butter softened, 6 oz
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup butter softened, 4oz
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted, plus more as needed, 180g
- 1 tablespoon milk as needed
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- If making Ermine Frosting, skip to the frosting and complete steps 1-3 so pudding can cool while you make your cake.
Red Velvet Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two six-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat until well-combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add egg, oil, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla, and beat until well-combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together sifted flour, cocoa podwer, baking soda, and salt.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat until just-combined. Add all of the buttermilk, mixing until just-combined, repeating with the rest of the flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the edges and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 21 to 26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.*
- Cool cakes in their pans for 10 to 15 minutes before running a plastic knife or spatula around the edges of the cakes to make sure they're not stuck to the pan. Remove cakes from pans and transfer them to a cooling rack (discard parchment paper). Cool completely before frosting.
Ermine Frosting
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar, milk, and flour. Heat over medium heat, whisking frequently, until thick and bubbly, about the consistency of thin pudding. This should take 5 to 10 minutes.
- Set a fine-mesh strainer over a heat-proof bowl and pour milk mixture through the strainer to remove any lumps. Use a rubber spatula to make sure all of the mixture gets pushed through.
- Whisk in vanilla and salt. Cool on the counter for 10 minutes before covering with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature while you bake and cool your cake.
- Once milk mixture is completely cooled (if it's warm, it will melt your butter), in a medium bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add milk mixture, 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, and beat well after each addition. Once all of the milk mixture has been added, beat frosting until it reaches your desired consistency.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. If frosting is too thick for your taste, add milk by the teaspoon until it reaches your desired consistency. For stiffer frosting, beat in sifted powdered sugar by the heaping tablespoon until it thickens.
To Frost the Cake
- If necessary, use a serrated knife to cut the dome off the bottom cake layer and level it. Place bottom layer on cake stand or plate, using a small dollop of frosting to anchor it.
- Spread 1/3 of the frosting over the bottom layer. Place second layer over the frosting and use the rest of the frosting over the body of the cake, starting at the top and spreading the frosting down the sides.
- Add sprinkles if desired. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Test cake doneness carefully; if the center jiggles, let it bake longer to prevent sinking.
- Store the cake covered in the refrigerator to maintain moisture and freshness.
- Both ermine and cream cheese frostings complement the cake’s subtle cocoa and vinegar flavor.
- Prepare frosting components ahead to allow proper chilling and consistency.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
649kcal
(32%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4to 6 small slices
Amount Per Serving
Calories 649 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 649kcal | 32% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
72 reviews
Excellent
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