Red velvet cake
Tender buttermilk cocoa layers with cream cheese frosting
AmericanRed velvet is the Southern celebration cake of weddings, Juneteenth gatherings and Christmas in Texas and the Carolinas: soft, faintly chocolatey layers with a tang of buttermilk and vinegar, a deep red colour and thick, white cream cheese frosting. The colour once came partly from cocoa reacting with acid; today a little food colouring is usual. Chef's tip: use natural (not Dutch-process) cocoa, which keeps the colour brighter and the crumb lighter.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 14
Ingredients
For the cake
- 11 ½ oz plain flour
- 2 tbsp natural cocoa powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 10 ½ oz sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp red food colouring gel
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white vinegar
For the frosting
- 12 oz full-fat cream cheesecold
- 4 oz buttersoft
- 14 oz icing sugarsifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (300°F fan) and line two 23 cm round tins. Whisk the 11 ½ oz plain flour, 2 tbsp natural cocoa powder, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda and ½ tsp salt.
3 minStep 2: Whisk the 10 ½ oz sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil and 2 eggs until smooth, then whisk in the 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp red food colouring gel, 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp white vinegar.
3 minStep 3: Stir the wet mix into the dry just until there are no streaks. Divide between the tins.
2 minStep 4: Bake for 28–30 minutes, until the tops spring back and a skewer comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the tins, then completely on a rack.
40 minStep 5: Beat the 4 oz butter until creamy, then beat in the 12 oz full-fat cream cheese until just smooth, then the 14 oz icing sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract. A common mistake is overbeating cream cheese, which turns the frosting runny.
4 minStep 6: Level the cakes, crumble the trimmings, and sandwich and cover the layers with the frosting. Press the crumbs around the base and chill for 30 minutes before slicing.
35 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 68 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does red velvet cake take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 14 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of natural cocoa powder?
- Drinking chocolate, same amount (sweeter, so cut the sugar).
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