Red Velvet Cake

Red velvet cake isn’t just a boring white cake dyed red. It’s got this whole other thing going on! The secret’s in the cocoa powder and buttermilk in the batter, which give it a subtle chocolatey depth. Then there’s the cream cheese frosting – that tangy sweetness is just the perfect match.

Believe it or not, this fancy-looking cake is actually pretty simple to whip up. It’s perfect for birthdays, holidays, or even just a random Tuesday (hey, I won’t judge!).

Making the cake batter is a breeze. You don’t even need an electric mixer – just a couple of bowls and a whisk will do the trick. Here’s the rundown:

First, sift together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder) in a medium bowl. Sifting gets rid of any lumps and makes for a smooth batter. Then, toss in the sugar and salt and give it a quick mix.

In your other, larger bowl, grab a whisk and get ready to combine the wet ingredients. You’ll need buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vinegar, vanilla extract, and that magic red food coloring.

Once everything’s nice and whisked together, gently fold in the dry ingredients to the wet. Don’t overmix – you just want everything incorporated.

Now, divide the batter evenly between two greased 8-inch cake pans. Pop them in the oven at 350°F for 35 minutes, and voila! Freshly baked red velvet goodness.

Now, about that vinegar in the recipe. Don’t worry, you won’t even taste it! It’s just a secret weapon to help the baking soda activate and make your cake rise nice and fluffy. The vinegar (acidic) and baking soda (basic) have a little party together and create carbon dioxide gas, which helps the cake rise. Just for good measure, I add a bit of baking powder too, for an extra lift.

But what about the frosting? For me, red velvet cake just isn’t complete without its classic cream cheese frosting. It’s not too sweet, and that tanginess is the perfect counterpoint to the cake’s flavor.

The best part? This frosting only needs four ingredients: cream cheese, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Just cream them all together in a mixer for the smoothest results. You can do it by hand, but be prepared to work up a bit of a sweat.

One important tip: make sure the cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature, but not melted. If they’re too soft, your frosting might be a little runny. Don’t add more powdered sugar to try and fix it – that’ll just make it too sweet (unless you have a serious sweet tooth). If the frosting is a bit runny, just pop it in the fridge for a bit to firm up before frosting the cake.

If you’re not a huge fan of the tang, you could try a Swiss buttercream frosting instead. It’s made with egg whites and is just as silky and creamy, but without the tang. But hey, cream cheese frosting is the classic choice for a reason!

Here’s a couple of other pointers for baking red velvet cake like a pro:

• A kitchen scale is your friend! It helps you divide the batter evenly between the cake pans (about 675 grams per pan for this recipe). This ensures both cakes bake evenly.
• To make sure the cakes come out of the pan easily, brush the pans with melted butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper cut to size. Don’t forget to butter the parchment paper too!
• I like to use McCormick brand liquid red food coloring. It gives a nice, consistent red color every time.

So there you have it! With these tips, you’ll be a red velvet cake baking champion in no time. Happy baking!

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