Retro Red Velvet Cake with Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

Servings 16 - Makes a towering 9' 3 layer cake

Ingredients

Red Velvet Cake Ingredients:

  • 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons (28g) liquid red food color (to substitute beet powder, see instructions at the end of this recipe)
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 4 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 cups buttermilk, or low-fat plain (not Greek) yogurt, at room temperature

 

Golden Yellow Cake Ingredients:

Mint Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

King Arthur Baking Company’s red velvet cake recipe is as close to you’ll get to perfection, so we will prepare their recipe, after we quickly mix the batter for the golden yellow cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour (3) 9″ cake pans, then line the bottom with parchment rounds, and lightly grease the parchment, too. Set aside.
  2. Prepare the King Arthur Flour Golden Yellow Cake Mix according to package directions, which takes only minutes. This cake mix creates a fragrant golden cake that rivals any scratch recipe!
  3. Set aside batter while you prepare the red velvet cake.

King Arthur Red Velvet Cake:

  1. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until well combined. Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
  2. Stir in the food color, cocoa, salt, baking soda, and vinegar.
  3. Beat in the flour alternately with the buttermilk or yogurt, beginning and ending with the flour.

Place the red velvet and golden cake batter into the prepared cake pans, as follows:

  1. Scoop several large spoonfuls (approximately half) of red velvet cake batter into each of the three pans, cover the bottom of the pans. Smooth with a spatula.
  2. Place several scoops of golden cake batter (approximately half) randomly on top of the red velvet batter.
  3. Scoop the remaining red velvet batter, in large spoonfuls, on top.
  4. Scoop the remaining golden cake batter, in large spoonfuls, on top.
  5. Lightly tap the pan to even out the batter, smoothing it with a spatula if needed.
  6. Using a butter knife, run the knife randomly through the batter in swirling patterns.
  7. Bake the cakes for 30-34 minutes, until the tops feel set and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Remove the cakes from the oven, and allow them to cool for 10 minutes before turning them out of the pans onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Assemble the cake:

Fill and frost cooled cake with Peppermint Cream Cheese frosting.

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Crumb Coat
To create a smooth frosting with no cake crumbs, create a “crumb coat” by lightly frosting the outside of the cake, then place in freezer for 30 minutes to set the frosting. Remove cake from freezer and frost with another layer of frosting. Perfectly frosted cake with no crumbs!

Garnish with crushed peppermint, if desired.

For best flavor, serve cake at room temperature. Store cake in the refrigerator where it will stay fresh for 3-4 days.

Cake stays optimally fresh in freezer up to 2 months. Before freezing, wrap cake tightly in plastic wrap, then place in airtight container, or cover in aluminum foil.

Recipe from Eat Splendid - https://eatsplendid.com/recipe/king-arthur-red-velvet-cake-recipe-with-mint-cream-cheese-frosting/