Homemade Red Velvet Cake Recipe with Claire Saffitz | Dessert Person

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.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Prepare three 8-inch cake pans by coating them with butter and lining the bottom with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of anato seeds with 1 cup of neutral oil on medium heat until the oil turns a ruby color, then let it cool to room temperature.

In a mixing bowl, combine cake flour, kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

In a separate bowl, mix granulated sugar with the dry ingredients.

Add 4 eggs, natural cocoa powder, and the cooled anato oil to the dry mixture and whisk until combined.

In another bowl, mix sour cream, vanilla extract, and red wine vinegar to create the acidic mixture.

Combine the acidic mixture with the batter and mix until smooth.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

For the frosting, cook flour with milk in a saucepan until thickened, then let it cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat room temperature butter and room temperature cream cheese until smooth.

Add the cooled flour mixture and sugar to the butter and cream cheese, mixing until light and fluffy.

Frost the top of one cake layer, place the second layer on top, and frost the top and sides of the cake.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens