Red Velvet Classic Southern (Printable)

Moist, velvety cocoa-flavored cake with tang and cream cheese frosting, perfect for special celebrations.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
09 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
11 - 1 ounce red food coloring
12 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

13 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
15 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
17 - Pinch of salt

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
02 - Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat granulated sugar and softened butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
04 - Mix in vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and white vinegar to the butter mixture.
05 - In a small bowl, mix buttermilk with red food coloring until evenly blended.
06 - Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture. Begin and end with dry ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overmixing.
07 - Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Then remove from pans and place on wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy and smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt. Beat until light and fluffy.
10 - Once cakes are completely cool, spread frosting between layers, then cover the top and sides evenly.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cocoa and vinegar create an almost mysterious tang that makes people ask what's in it, and you get to smile and say nothing but the usual.
  • Cream cheese frosting softens under your knife like butter, and that first bite tastes like celebration even on a Tuesday afternoon.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients aren't just a suggestion—they blend together smoothly and give you a finer crumb than cold ingredients that fight each other.
  • The vinegar and baking soda together trigger a chemical reaction that deepens the cocoa flavor and creates the tender crumb; skip this and the cake tastes flat and dense.
03 -
  • Gel food coloring gives you a deeper red than liquid coloring and won't thin out your batter, which is why bakeries use it.
  • If your kitchen is warm, chill the frosting between additions of powdered sugar so it doesn't separate and look greasy.
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