Red Velvet
This cake looks bright and festive, and it's incredibly easy to make! Even if you've never baked a cake before, this is the perfect recipe to start with. It's soft, moist, and melts in your mouth. It's not overly sweet and has a delicate hint of chocolate.
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First, make the batter
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add the eggs and sunflower oil.
- Pour in the buttermilk (or kefir) and the red gel food coloring.
- Mix until the batter is smooth.
Let the batter rest at room temperature for 10–20 minutes so the baking soda can begin to react.
Then, bake it
- You can bake the batter in three 16 cm (6-inch) cake pans or two 18 cm (7-inch) cake pans. (I used three)
- Grease the sides and line the bottoms of the cake pans with parchment paper.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 2 minutes before removing them. Then let them cool completely on a wire rack.
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Next, make the frosting
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy.
The longer you beat the butter, the whiter and fluffier the frosting will become. - Add the vanilla extract and cream cheese, then beat until smooth.
I usually make a double batch of frosting because I like to add a generous amount between the cake layers and on top.
Finally, assemble the cake
- Trim the tops of the cake layers to make them flat and even.
- Spread frosting over one layer, then place the next layer on top. Repeat with the remaining layers.
- Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
- Crumble the trimmed cake tops and sprinkle the crumbs over the cake for decoration.
- Refrigerate the cake for a few hours before serving. It tastes even better when chilled.
Notes
- It’s best to use odorless oil, such as refined sunflower oil, as strong-smelling oils can affect the flavor of the cake.
- You can substitute buttermilk with full-fat yogurt or sour cream if needed.
- Avoid adding too much red food coloring — it can make the batter taste bitter. For a rich, vibrant red color, it’s best to use gel food coloring, not liquid.
- If you don’t have sunflower oil, you can use any neutral-tasting vegetable oil instead.
- You can color the frosting using fat-soluble food coloring (gel or powder-based) if you'd like a colorful finish.
- If the frosting becomes too soft during assembly, chill it briefly, then continue frosting the cake.
- You can bake the cake layers a day in advance and store them covered in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the cake.
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