Red Velvet Cake
This homemade Red Velvet Cake is soft and moist with an irresistible Cream Cheese Frosting. It’s perfect for Valentine's Day, Birthdays and Christmas.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more to dust the pans
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more to grease pans
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 3/4 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 cup low-fat buttermilk, room temp
- 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.
Notes
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips:
- To Refrigerate: Fully assemble and refrigerate this cake for up to 4 days.
- Freezing a Whole Cake: You can freeze a fully assembled cake in a cake box (cover the box with foil to prevent freezer burn) for up to two months.
- Freezing Cake Layers: Cool cake layers to room temperature then place plastic wrap or parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Wrap completely in plastic wrap and a layer of foil.
- To Thaw: Thaw a fully assembled cake or cake layers in the refrigerator overnight. If you thaw it on the counter, you will end up with soggy cake. Bring to room temperature for 2 hours before serving.
