The BEST Red Velvet Cake recipe ever! Ultra moist, buttery, tender and soft cake with the most perfect red velvet flavor. Topped with easy cream cheese frosting. This cake is perfect for Valentine’s Day or for any red velvet lover in you
Overview Instructions of How to Make Red Velvet Cake:
Make the Red Velvet Cake Batter:
Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment rounds, spraying parchment and sides of pans generously with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk together the hot coffee and cocoa powder, setting aside for 5 minutes. Whisk in a separate medium bowl the dry ingredients of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, and melted butter. Add in eggs and egg yolk, whisking until well combined. Add buttermilk, vanilla, and food coloring, and whisk to combine.
Whisk in the vinegar and coffee mixture. Sift the flour mixture in thirds into the wet ingredients, folding until incorporated.
Pour the batter evenly between your prepared pans. Tap the bottoms against the counter several times.
Bake at 325°F for 25-30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Place the cake pans on a cooling rack. Once cool to the touch, run a thin knife around the edges to loosen the cake, and invert onto the cooling racks. Cool completely.
Make the Cream Cheese Icing:
Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until light, creamy, and smooth.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure no clumps remain.
Add vanilla and beat until combined.
Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar on low speed and beat until the buttercream frosting is fluffy.
Assemble:
Lay one of the cake layers flat-side up on a cake plate or pedestal.
Use about a third of the frosting to fill the bottom cake layer, then top with the second cake layer and repeat. Place the final cake layer flat-side up. Use the rest of the frosting to ice the sides and top of the cake, using an offset spatula to smooth the icing.
Refrigerate until ready to serve!
Ingredients
For the cake:
▢1/2 cup of plain hot coffee or boiling water
▢1/4 cup (21 grams) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
▢2 1/4 cups (279 grams) all-purpose flour
▢1/2 teaspoon baking powder
▢1 teaspoon baking soda
▢1 teaspoon fine sea salt
▢1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
▢2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
▢1/2 cup (109 grams) fresh vegetable oil
▢1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
▢2 large eggs, at room temperature
▢1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
▢1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
▢2 teaspoons vanilla extract
▢3 teaspoons red gel food coloring, plus more if needed*
▢1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
For the cream cheese frosting:
▢16 ounces (454 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
▢2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
▢2 teaspoons vanilla extract
▢4 cups (500 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment rounds and spray parchment and sides of pans generously with nonstick cooking spray.
In a glass measuring cup, whisk the hot coffee and cocoa powder. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, and melted butter. Add in the eggs and yolk and whisk for twenty seconds, or until very well combined. Add in the buttermilk, vanilla and food coloring and whisk to combine. Whisk in the vinegar and coffee mixture. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the flour mixture into the batter in three additions, whisking until each addition is incorporated.
Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans. Tap the bottoms of the pans against the counter several times to release any air bubbles.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. It’s normal for the cake to look slightly spongy on top. Place the cake pans on cooling racks. When the pans are cool enough to touch, run a thin knife around the edges of the pans to loosen the cakes. Invert onto the wire racks. Let cool completely.
For the frosting:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until very light, creamy, and smooth. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure no clumps remain. Add in the vanilla and beat until combined. On low speed, gradually add in the sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk or cream. If it’s too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar.
To assemble:
Lay one cake layer flat-side up on a cake plate or pedestal. Tuck in strips of baking paper under the cake edges to keep the plate clean.
Use about a third of the frosting to fill the bottom cake layer, then top with the second cake layer and repeat. Place the final cake layer flat-side up. Use the rest of the frosting to ice the whole cake. Serve.
The cake can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
