classic red velvet layer cake
Layers of soft, fluffy red velvet cake and a ridiculous cream cheese frosting. Ridiculous. Ridonkulus. Or however you kids spell it.
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp red food dye
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
cream cheese frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, cold
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 - 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tbsp heavy cream, to thin as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 9-inch cake pans with butter or oil.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Whip in the vanilla, vinegar, dye, and Greek yogurt. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running, slowly stream in the buttermilk, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter among the prepared cake pans. Bake 30-35 minutes until the center is set and an inserted toothpick emerges with just a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the pans to loosen the layers and flip onto a wire rack. Cool completely.
- When the cakes are cooled, make the frosting. In a bowl, whip the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on low speed until combined. Add in 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix to combine, then increase the speed to medium high and whip until very light and fluffy. If needed, pour in more sugar 1/4 cup at a time until the frosting is soft and spreadable.
- Place one cake layer on a flat plate or cake stand. Drop frosting onto the top of the layer and spread. Add the second cake layer and frost the top, then around the side until thoroughly coated. Garnish with a flower, as desired.
Notes
*To make ahead: Cakes can be baked ahead, cooled, and stored in the fridge, undecorated, for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the little guys for up to a month.
*To store: Because of the cream cheese frosting, the finished cake should be stored in the fridge and will last up to 5 days, though the frosting structure may begin to do weird shit by day 3. If you don’t mind a less aesthetic cake, you’ll have a nice tasty treat for the full 5.