Ingredients
For the red velvet cake
- 370 g sugar
- 300 g all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 4.5 tsp baking powder
- 400 ml milk or vegetable milk of your choice
- 1 tbsp apple vinegar / cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 140 ml vegetable oil or canola + more to grease the moulds
- 4 tbsp unsweetened cacao powder ideally 100% cacao
- 1 tbsp liquid red food colouring
For the cream cheese buttercream
- 250 g unsalted butter if you want your buttercream to be extra white then use a butter with higher fat content (usually french brands)
- 210 g cream cheese
- 150 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste seeds from 1 vanilla pod, 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla essence
Instructions
For the red velvet cake
- Beat all the ingredients for the cake until you get a homogeneous mix. If you're using a stand mixer, stop halfway through to scrape the sides and base of the bowl with a spatula because it's in those places where dry ingredients accumulate and don't mix in.
- Cut baking paper to the size of your 23x33cm / 9x13in pan. I make an outline of the base and sides with a pencil and then cut it to the perfect size. Stick the paper in place using a bit of oil, spread using a piece of kitchen paper.
- Fill the moulds with the mix and take them to a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for 25-35min or until you can insert a thin knife at the center and it comes out clean.
- Let them cool down completely before unmoulding.
For the cream cheese buttercream
- If it's hot where you live or if your kitchen is too hot, don't let the butter or cream cheese soften at room temperature before making the buttercream. However, if it's cold then leave them outside of the fridge for a couple of hours before starting.
- Mix the butter using the mixer attachment in your stand mixer for 5 minutes from the moment it goes soft or until it looks really pale. Remember to stop every once in a while to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl if you're using a stand mixer.
- Add the cream cheese and vanilla and repeat the process.
- Add the sugar using a sieve and mix until everything is incorporated.
- Spread the cream cheese buttercream on the cooled-down cake. It's important it's no longer warm because it could melt out buttercream.
- Place the cake in the fridge for at least a couple of hours before cutting so the buttercream is easier to cut.
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