Red Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

by Diana Rattray

Red velvet cake is an old-fashioned dessert that people have been enjoying for generations. The cake typically contains flour, sugar, cocoa powder, butter, eggs, and buttermilk. Red velvet cake is a moist, rich cake that is easily recognized by its deep red color, which is usually made with red food coloring.

Buttermilk gives the cake its moist texture and adds to the flavor, and the acidity of the buttermilk, vinegar, and natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) work together to enhance that bright red color, while the baking soda works with the acidic ingredients to leaven the cake.

A red velvet cake, with its festive red color, is a great cake to serve for a special occasion, such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or a wedding or birthday celebration.

About the Origin

One story about the origin of the red velvet cake claims that it was first created at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City in the early 20th century. According to this story, a wealthy customer requested the recipe for the hotel’s red velvet cake and was charged an exorbitant fee. The customer then shared the recipe with friends, and it quickly took off. Some also say that red velvet cake has roots in Southern cuisine and may have been created as early as the 1800s.

Frosting Choices

Cream cheese frosting is a popular choice, though some people prefer an ermine frosting, an old-fashioned cooked roux-based frosting. My personal favorite is the cream cheese frosting—it’s quick and easy to make with cream cheese, butter, and confectioners’ sugar. The ermine, made with a roux and less sugar than most frostings, is an excellent option as well. An ermine frosting should be started earlier in the day since the roux mixture must cool completely before it is mixed with the butter to make the frosting.

Preparation Notes

• Prepare the pan and preheat the oven.
• Weigh the flour and cocoa and sift them together. Add the sea salt and baking soda to the flour mixture and whisk to blend. Set aside.
• Put the butter in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until it is creamy and fluffy. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat until well combined. Beat the eggs into the sugar mixture then add the vanilla, vinegar, and vegetable oil. Beat until blended.
• Now, you will add the flour in 3 additions, adding half of the buttermilk after the first and second additions and beating each addition until thoroughly blended. Add the last third of the flour mixture until the batter is smooth and well blended.

• Distribute the batter among the three prepared pans—or two 8-inch or 9-inch pans if making a 2-layer cake. Smooth the tops and bake as directed.
• Cool the cakes in the pan on racks for about 15 minutes, then remove them from the pan and place them on the racks to cool completely before frosting.

• For the cream cheese frosting, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then beat in the butter and salt. Beating on low speed, add the confectioners’ sugar until you have a thick, spreadable frosting. Beat in the vanilla until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
• Frost the cooled cake and enjoy!

Can I make the cake with half the frosting?

You can lighten this cake by cutting it into smaller slices or spreading the frosting thinly. The amount of frosting is generous and makes more than enough for the 3 layers and optional piping, or you can frost it thinly and have enough leftover frosting to freeze for another day. Also, you won’t need as much frosting if you bake it in two layers.

How to Store

• Store red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting well covered in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.
• The cake freezes nicely. To freeze slices of frosted cake, arrange them on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer. When frozen solid, wrap the slices in plastic wrap, then wrap again in foil—Defrost in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. For best quality, eat defrosted cake within 2 to 3 months.

These red velvet cupcakes offer another alternative, or you might like to try these red velvet whoopie pies.

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