Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting

Yields 1 two-layer 8-inch or 9-inch cake (or 25 cupcakes)

Ingredients

Cake

• 315g all-purpose flour
• 300g granulated sugar
• 227g buttermilk
• 170g unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 15g white vinegar
• 15g natural cocoa powder
• 30g liquid red food colouring
• 8g baking soda
• 5g vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Frosting

• 170g butter, at room temperature
• 340g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 450g icing sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

Cake

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper, or grease and flour them.
2. Sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3. In another bowl whisk together the buttermilk with the vinegar eggs and vanilla extract. Set aside.
4. In a standing mixer or using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes or longer. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
5. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until just incorporated.
6. Add ½ of the buttermilk mixture and beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
7. Scrape down the bowl as necessary and repeat with ½ of the remaining flour mixture, the remaining buttermilk mixture, and finally the remaining flour mixture.
8. Scrape down the bowl, add the cocoa powder and the food colouring. Beat on medium speed until completely incorporated, about 30 seconds.
9. Using a rubber spatula, give the batter a final stir. Scrape into prepared pans. 
10. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
11. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes then turn out onto a rack to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.

Notes

• If only one pan is available, either:
  • Bake it all at once (ensure the pan is deep enough to contain all the batter and not be over  ⅔ full), or
  • Bake it in two batches, dividing the mixture in half and reserving the remaining batter in the fridge while the first pan is in the oven. Ensure to reline or grease the cooled pan before baking the second one.

Frosting

1. Beat the cream cheese and butter on high until creamy
2. Add vanilla. Then, add the sugar in batches. Scrape down the sides of the bowl in between each addition. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy.

Assembly

1. If the layers have a dome on top, cut it out with a long serrated knife (bread knife) or a cake leveler. If starting from a single layer cake, divide it into two layers of approximately the same height. Keep the crumbs to decorate.
2. Reserve the flattest layer (usually the bottom) for the top.
3. Place the bottom layer on a cake plate and add a generous amount of frosting. Spread it over the layer with an offset spatula.
4. Stack the top layer on top.
5. Add more frosting on top and with an offset or straight spatula, spread it from the center to the edges.
6. Mask the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
7. Decorate the sides and/or top with crumbs.