Red Velvet Cake
A classic two-layer red velvet cake with a tender cocoa crumb and white cream-cheese frosting, cut into 12 generous snack slices. Batch yield: One two-layer 20 cm (8 inch) cake, approximately 2.1 kg finished, cut into 12 slices. One serving: 1 slice, or 1/12 of the frosted cake; approximately 175 g after baking. Allow approximately 5 hours 5 minutes overall: 45 minutes initial softening, 20 minutes mixing, 40 minutes baking, 120 minutes cooling, 20 minutes frosting preparation and assembly, and 60 minutes final refrigeration. Prep_minutes is the 265-minute non-oven elapsed time, including mandatory softening, cooling and chilling. Active preparation totals about 45 minutes: 5 minutes of setup during softening, 20 minutes mixing and 20 minutes frosting and assembly. Preheating overlaps with initial softening, and softening the frosting ingredients overlaps with cake cooling; neither is counted twice. Both tins bake together, so cook_minutes is 40, not 80. Allow extra cooling time if the centres are still warm. Appliances: Oven; Electric hand mixer; Refrigerator. Equipment: Two 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tins, at least 5 cm deep; Baking parchment; Digital kitchen scales; Measuring jug and measuring spoons; Three mixing bowls; Sieve; Silicone spatula; Wire cooling rack; Skewer; Palette knife or offset spatula; Serving plate; Sharp knife. Allergens: Contains wheat flour, eggs, butter, buttermilk and cream cheese. Choose vegetarian-labelled cream cheese and red colouring; carmine/cochineal (E120) is not vegetarian. Check packaged ingredients for additional product-specific allergens. Nutrition is estimated per slice and varies by brand; calories are calculated from the stated macronutrients using 4/4/9 kcal per gram. Storage: Keep covered in the refrigerator at 4°C or below for up to 4 days. Do not store this cream-cheese-frosted cake at room temperature. For serving, take out only the slices needed; limit cumulative unrefrigerated time to 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C. Freeze individual slices in airtight containers for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
265 min
Prep
40 min
Cook
12
Serves
683
Calories
Macros · per serving
7g protein
76g carbs
39g fat
Ingredients
For 12 servings
- 300 g Plain (all-purpose) flour
- 12 g Unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 5 g Baking soda
- 4 g Fine salt, divided: 3 g for the cake and 1 g for the frosting
- 240 g Unsalted butter, divided: 115 g for the cake and 125 g for the frosting
- 300 g Granulated sugar
- 120 ml Canola oil
- 3 eggs Large eggs
- 15 ml Vanilla extract, divided: 10 ml for the cake and 5 ml for the frosting
- 5 ml Distilled white vinegar
- 10 g Vegetarian red gel food colouring, without carmine or cochineal
- 240 ml Cultured buttermilk
- 400 g Full-fat block cream cheese, suitable for vegetarians
- 350 g Icing sugar
Instructions
- 1
Allow 45 minutes for the cake ingredients to lose their refrigerator chill. Cut the 115 g cake butter into small cubes and leave it at room temperature with the eggs and measured buttermilk. The butter should become easily dented but not melted. Keep the frosting butter and cream cheese refrigerated until later.
- 2
During this softening period, line the bases and sides of two 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tins, at least 5 cm deep, with baking parchment; no grease is needed. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and 3 g salt into a bowl. During the final 20 minutes of softening, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) conventional or 155°C (310°F) fan. Position a shelf so both tins can sit side by side with space around them.
- 3
Using an electric hand mixer, beat the softened 115 g butter and granulated sugar for about 4 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the oil, scraping down the bowl, until the mixture looks creamy.
- 4
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in 10 ml vanilla, the vinegar and all the red gel colouring. A slightly curdled appearance at this stage is harmless.
- 5
With the mixer on its lowest speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Stop as soon as combined, then scrape and fold the batter with a spatula until no flour pockets remain. It should be smooth and thickly pourable.
- 6
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins, approximately 680 g per tin, and smooth the tops. Bake both tins together for 35–40 minutes, allowing 40 minutes in the schedule. The centres should spring back lightly, and a skewer inserted into the middle should emerge clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- 7
Cool the cakes in their tins on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully turn them out, remove all parchment and leave on the rack for approximately 105 minutes more, until completely cool through the centre. Do not frost warm cake. During the final 30 minutes of cooling, cube the remaining 125 g butter and set it out with the cream cheese to soften; this overlaps with cooling.
- 8
For the frosting, sift the icing sugar. In a bowl, beat the softened 125 g butter for 2 minutes until creamy. Add the cream cheese and mix briefly on low speed until smooth. Add the icing sugar in three additions, mixing slowly, then add the remaining 5 ml vanilla and 1 g salt. Mix only until thick and uniform; prolonged beating can loosen cream-cheese frosting.
- 9
Place one completely cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spread approximately 300 g frosting over it, reaching the edges. Add the second layer and spread all the remaining frosting over the top and sides in an even white coating. Allow about 20 minutes total for making the frosting and assembling the cake.
- 10
Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 60 minutes to firm the frosting. Cut into 12 equal wedges with a knife. Each finished slice weighs approximately 175 g; actual weight varies with baking moisture loss.
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