How to Make Red Velvet Cake

buttermilk

🥗Healthier: low-fat yogurt

💰Cheaper: milk + vinegar

Low-fat yogurt provides tanginess with fewer calories.

cream cheese

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: ricotta cheese

Greek yogurt offers creaminess with lower fat.

red food coloring

🥗Healthier: beet juice

💰Cheaper: none

Beet juice is a natural alternative for color.

butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil is plant-based and dairy-free.

Start with 2.5 cups of sifted cake flour, using Swans Down cake flour.

Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder to the flour and sift together.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1.5 cups of sugar with the dry ingredients.

Add 1 cup of buttermilk to the mixture.

Pour in 1.5 cups of vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of white vinegar.

Crack in 2 eggs and mix slowly to avoid splattering.

Add 1 ounce of red food coloring and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, mixing well.

Grease and flour two round cake pans using Crisco and flour.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans, shaking them to level the batter.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes at 350°F (175°C).

Prepare the frosting by mixing 8 ounces of cream cheese and 1 stick of softened margarine until smooth.

Gradually add 3.5 cups of powdered sugar and 0.5 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the frosting mixture.

Once the cakes are cool, frost the top of one layer, place the second layer on top, and frost the top and sides of the cake.

Optionally, sprinkle crushed pecans on the frosting.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens