Description
A stunning Red Velvet Cake that’s made extra special and scrumptious with a few simple variations!
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 (1 ounce) bottle red food coloring
Frosting:
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 2–4 tablespoons whole milk, if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour 3 (8-inch) round or 2 (9-inch) round cake pans or a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, pudding mix, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the sour cream, milk, vanilla and food coloring until well combined.
- Gradually beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Pour evenly into prepared pans. Bake about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert them onto a rack to cool completely.
- While cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Beat in the vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar until well combined. Increase the speed to high and beat until smooth and spreadable, about 5 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. If the frosting is too thick to spread, beat in 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until spreadable.
- If your cake layers have a dome on them, level with a leveler or a serrated knife. Reserve the crumbs to garnish the cake once frosted.
- Place one layer on a cake stand or platter and spread with a thin layer of frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. Cover the top and sides with a thin layer of frosting. This is the “crumb coat” so it doesn’t have to be perfect. Chill the cake for 15 minutes then cover with the remaining frosting. Garnish with reserved cake crumbs.