If familiar chocolate or vanilla cakes seem too predictable, red velvet cake offers a simple and pleasant change. This recipe allows you to prepare one small, delicate cake with a subtle chocolate flavor, soft texture, and a generous layer of cream cheese frosting. It is ideal if you want to enjoy a cake without baking a large, multi-layered item, as the recipe is designed for a 15 cm pan.
Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Ingredients for the Cake
To make the cake, you will need: 1 cup all-purpose wheat flour, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup powdered sugar or white sugar, 1 large egg, ½ cup neutral oil, 90 ml buttermilk, 2 tablespoons thick sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon white vinegar, ¼ cup hot coffee, and ½ teaspoon concentrated red food coloring.
Ingredients for the Cream Cheese Frosting
For the frosting, you need: 125 g of full-fat cream cheese, 35 g of unsalted, softened butter, 100 g of powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
Instructions
First, preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and prepare a 15 cm round pan by greasing it and lining it with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then set this mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, egg, and oil until you have a smooth and well-combined mixture. Next, add the buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla, vinegar, hot coffee, and red food coloring, and mix everything until combined. Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold them in until no traces of flour remain, avoiding overmixing the batter. Pour the finished batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50–60 minutes, checking around 45 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. After baking, let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a rack to cool completely before applying the frosting.
Making the Cream Cheese Frosting
For the frosting, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Then, add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, and beat until light and fluffy. Spread the resulting frosting generously over the completely cooled cake.
Why is Vinegar Used in Red Velvet Cake?
Although vinegar may seem like an unusual addition, it serves a practical function in the batter. Red velvet cake recipes often combine an acidic component, such as buttermilk or vinegar, with baking soda. This reaction helps produce carbon dioxide gas, which aids in the cake rising. Furthermore, the amount of vinegar is so small that its taste will not be noticeable in the finished product; it only serves to maintain the chemical processes in the batter.
To prevent a dense texture in red velvet cake, handle the batter gently. As soon as the dry components are added to the wet mixture, mix only until the flour traces disappear, and do not aim for an absolutely smooth consistency. It is also important to check your leavening agents, as baking powder and baking soda lose effectiveness over time, which can negatively affect the cake's rise. Finally, do not rely on the toothpick test too early, assuming the cake is ready. Since this cake is baked in a relatively small and deep pan, the center requires sufficient time to cook through. Although red velvet cake is often associated with elaborate, multi-layered desserts, this smaller version requires significantly less effort. You get the rich cocoa flavor, soft texture, and cream cheese frosting without the need to bake and assemble multiple layers.