AuthorviagelatohawaiiCategoryBakingDifficultyIntermediateStunning light and moist red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting
Sift + Mix Together:
2c flour (300g)
1c sugar (200g)
2 Tbsp natural cocoa powder (if you only have dutched or alkalized, use what you have)
1 tsp baking soda
Natural cocoa powder has a reddish hue and it produces a drier type of cocoa effect and the reaction between natural cocoa and the vinegar created the old fashioned slightly red color in red velvet cakes. Now, red velvet cakes all use red food coloring to get a really stunning color, so the type of cocoa powder you use doesn't really affect the color since most of that color is coming from the food coloring. Dutched or alkalized cocoa powder has a higher fat content which results in more fudgy and moist bakes when using that type of cocoa powder.
Whisk Together Wet Ingredients:
2 eggs
1c buttermilk
1c oil
1 Tbsp liquid red food coloring
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
The buttermilk and the vinegar help to give this cake it's light and fluffy texture. If you don't have buttermilk, try using milk with acid added to it like a Tbsp of lemon juice or add another Tbsp of vinegar.
I used two 5 inch springform pans and made 2 mini red velvet cakes, one to keep and one to give away.
If you want 1 LARGE red velvet cake, use two 9 inch springform pans
GREASE the pans, sides and bottom with cooking spray so the cakes release easily.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes
Cool the cakes to room temp - I expedite the process by putting the hot pans directly on my black granite countertops. The granite pulls the heat out of them rapidly. Then I stick them in the freezer to cool even further while I make the frosting.
In order to frost the cakes, they need to be cool to minimum room temp (so it doesn't melt the frosting), however, it's easiest to successfully frost cakes that are cold either refrigerated or frozen.
Sift 2.5 cups of powdered sugar (you need to sift so there are no lumps and the frosting comes out smooth)
Whisk In:
2 sticks softened butter (half pound)
2 packs soft cream cheese (1lb)
PRO TIP:
Cut ~3" wide X 5" long pieces of parchment strips.
Rinse the serving plate so that it is damp.
Lay the strips where the cake will sit, on the damp serving plate. The dampness will keep the strips stuck to the plate.
Leave a hole free of parchment under the cake.
You will be setting the cake directly on to this parchment strip liner.
The reason why you cut it in strips is so you can easily pull the strips out from under the cake after you're done frosting.
The parchment will catch all of the crumbs and stray bits of frosting and leave your cake professionally finished on the platter it will be served on.
WHY THIS IS PRO:
This trick will save you from stressing out that the frosting is messy.
It will also save you from needing to transfer the cake and risk dropping and breaking it from your work station to the serving platter.
It will also enable you to perfectly center and build your cake right where you intend to serve it.
Generally pro bakers do not include the dome top of the cake so cut it off so that you're left with a flat top which is easier to frost.
When cutting the top off and cutting the layers, I use a technique where I make a cut on the right side of the cake because I am right handed. (If you're left handed, start on the left side of the cake).
Then I rotate the cake a quarter turn and make another cut again on the right side of the cake connecting first with the previous cut.
Turn the cake a quarter turn and cut again connecting with the cut before it.
Eventually, you will have made these cuts that are all linked together, around the entire cake basically forming an outline and a GUIDE as to a straight and EVEN layer that in this case is ~1/2 inch thick.
You follow that cut guide to fully cutting the cake layer through the center. This is how I get even layers close to perfect without stressing about it.
I like this method because I don't have to change my position, my cutting hand is in a comfortable position and I can visibly see where I am aiming the entire time.
To prepare the layers, cut your cake dome off then cut the cake into 3 or 4 layers.
If the cake is cold, this will be easier to handle these layers, than if the cake is warm and flexible and fragile.
PRO TIPS:
Frost the cake while cold.
Frost it on your prepared parchment landing pad on the serving plate
Do a crumb coat to seal in the crumbs on the outside.
Do not dip your offset spatula with crumbs on it back inside the bowl with the clean frosting
(If you do not do a crumb coat and if you get crumbs into the main bowl, you will have visible red specks in the frosting of your cake which isn't the typical look of a high contrast red velvet cake)
Always use a clean spatula or scooper to get frosting from the bowl and deposit it onto the cake.
Detailed Instructions:
Place the first cake layer in the center of your prepared parchment landing pad.
Scoop out about 1/2 cup of frosting for each frosting layer.
Spread it out like a pillow - there is no need to push the frosting out to the very edge because the weight of the cake will evenly push it down and you will attend to the sides anyway later on.
Repeat stacking cake and spreading frosting.
When you reach the top, this is where you will apply the thin layer of frosting on the outside of the entire cake and the top.
This thin layer is called the crumb coat.
It will be messy and the point is to simply trap all the crumbs into that cream cheese frosting layer and solidify it during the chill.
Once you are done spreading a thin layer, stick it in the fridge (15 min) or freezer (5 min) to solidify
This will be fast because the crumb coat is thin.
Once the frosting is hard to the touch, it's ready to apply the final coat.
Deposit the frosting on the top of the cake with your clean utensil.
Using a CLEAN and dry offset spatula, spread the frosting across the top.
Get clean deposits of frosting on the sides and spread it. I like a textured look, so I apply the frosting in swipes across the sides rather than spinning it to create a smooth finish. If you like a "naked" look and not too much frosting, you can leave it at the crumb coat state or swipe just a thin layer around the outside of the cake. I don't stress about the outside of the cake frosting because it's the inside of the cake with the layers that are the showstopper.
Return the cake to the fridge (30 min) or freezer (10 min) to set.
Once set, cut a ring around the bottom of the cake between the cake and the spillover.
Pull out the parchment pieces.
All the messy crumbs and frosting bits will be gone as you pull those parchment pieces out, leaving the cake exactly where you built it on the serving platter.
As you pull out the paper, if the cake is peeling away with it, use a clean knife and push the cake in the opposite direction of you pulling the paper so that the cake stays in place.
Ingredients
Directions
Sift + Mix Together:
2c flour (300g)
1c sugar (200g)
2 Tbsp natural cocoa powder (if you only have dutched or alkalized, use what you have)
1 tsp baking soda
Natural cocoa powder has a reddish hue and it produces a drier type of cocoa effect and the reaction between natural cocoa and the vinegar created the old fashioned slightly red color in red velvet cakes. Now, red velvet cakes all use red food coloring to get a really stunning color, so the type of cocoa powder you use doesn't really affect the color since most of that color is coming from the food coloring. Dutched or alkalized cocoa powder has a higher fat content which results in more fudgy and moist bakes when using that type of cocoa powder.
Whisk Together Wet Ingredients:
2 eggs
1c buttermilk
1c oil
1 Tbsp liquid red food coloring
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
The buttermilk and the vinegar help to give this cake it's light and fluffy texture. If you don't have buttermilk, try using milk with acid added to it like a Tbsp of lemon juice or add another Tbsp of vinegar.
I used two 5 inch springform pans and made 2 mini red velvet cakes, one to keep and one to give away.
If you want 1 LARGE red velvet cake, use two 9 inch springform pans
GREASE the pans, sides and bottom with cooking spray so the cakes release easily.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes
Cool the cakes to room temp - I expedite the process by putting the hot pans directly on my black granite countertops. The granite pulls the heat out of them rapidly. Then I stick them in the freezer to cool even further while I make the frosting.
In order to frost the cakes, they need to be cool to minimum room temp (so it doesn't melt the frosting), however, it's easiest to successfully frost cakes that are cold either refrigerated or frozen.
Sift 2.5 cups of powdered sugar (you need to sift so there are no lumps and the frosting comes out smooth)
Whisk In:
2 sticks softened butter (half pound)
2 packs soft cream cheese (1lb)
PRO TIP:
Cut ~3" wide X 5" long pieces of parchment strips.
Rinse the serving plate so that it is damp.
Lay the strips where the cake will sit, on the damp serving plate. The dampness will keep the strips stuck to the plate.
Leave a hole free of parchment under the cake.
You will be setting the cake directly on to this parchment strip liner.
The reason why you cut it in strips is so you can easily pull the strips out from under the cake after you're done frosting.
The parchment will catch all of the crumbs and stray bits of frosting and leave your cake professionally finished on the platter it will be served on.
WHY THIS IS PRO:
This trick will save you from stressing out that the frosting is messy.
It will also save you from needing to transfer the cake and risk dropping and breaking it from your work station to the serving platter.
It will also enable you to perfectly center and build your cake right where you intend to serve it.
Generally pro bakers do not include the dome top of the cake so cut it off so that you're left with a flat top which is easier to frost.
When cutting the top off and cutting the layers, I use a technique where I make a cut on the right side of the cake because I am right handed. (If you're left handed, start on the left side of the cake).
Then I rotate the cake a quarter turn and make another cut again on the right side of the cake connecting first with the previous cut.
Turn the cake a quarter turn and cut again connecting with the cut before it.
Eventually, you will have made these cuts that are all linked together, around the entire cake basically forming an outline and a GUIDE as to a straight and EVEN layer that in this case is ~1/2 inch thick.
You follow that cut guide to fully cutting the cake layer through the center. This is how I get even layers close to perfect without stressing about it.
I like this method because I don't have to change my position, my cutting hand is in a comfortable position and I can visibly see where I am aiming the entire time.
To prepare the layers, cut your cake dome off then cut the cake into 3 or 4 layers.
If the cake is cold, this will be easier to handle these layers, than if the cake is warm and flexible and fragile.
PRO TIPS:
Frost the cake while cold.
Frost it on your prepared parchment landing pad on the serving plate
Do a crumb coat to seal in the crumbs on the outside.
Do not dip your offset spatula with crumbs on it back inside the bowl with the clean frosting
(If you do not do a crumb coat and if you get crumbs into the main bowl, you will have visible red specks in the frosting of your cake which isn't the typical look of a high contrast red velvet cake)
Always use a clean spatula or scooper to get frosting from the bowl and deposit it onto the cake.
Detailed Instructions:
Place the first cake layer in the center of your prepared parchment landing pad.
Scoop out about 1/2 cup of frosting for each frosting layer.
Spread it out like a pillow - there is no need to push the frosting out to the very edge because the weight of the cake will evenly push it down and you will attend to the sides anyway later on.
Repeat stacking cake and spreading frosting.
When you reach the top, this is where you will apply the thin layer of frosting on the outside of the entire cake and the top.
This thin layer is called the crumb coat.
It will be messy and the point is to simply trap all the crumbs into that cream cheese frosting layer and solidify it during the chill.
Once you are done spreading a thin layer, stick it in the fridge (15 min) or freezer (5 min) to solidify
This will be fast because the crumb coat is thin.
Once the frosting is hard to the touch, it's ready to apply the final coat.
Deposit the frosting on the top of the cake with your clean utensil.
Using a CLEAN and dry offset spatula, spread the frosting across the top.
Get clean deposits of frosting on the sides and spread it. I like a textured look, so I apply the frosting in swipes across the sides rather than spinning it to create a smooth finish. If you like a "naked" look and not too much frosting, you can leave it at the crumb coat state or swipe just a thin layer around the outside of the cake. I don't stress about the outside of the cake frosting because it's the inside of the cake with the layers that are the showstopper.
Return the cake to the fridge (30 min) or freezer (10 min) to set.
Once set, cut a ring around the bottom of the cake between the cake and the spillover.
Pull out the parchment pieces.
All the messy crumbs and frosting bits will be gone as you pull those parchment pieces out, leaving the cake exactly where you built it on the serving platter.
As you pull out the paper, if the cake is peeling away with it, use a clean knife and push the cake in the opposite direction of you pulling the paper so that the cake stays in place.