The Best Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

Cake

• 2.5 cups premium flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1.5 tsp coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 0.5 tsp of soda
• 1 and 1/4 cups well-mixed sour milk or kefir at room temperature
• 1 tbsp red gel food coloring
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 220 g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 large eggs at room temperature

Glaze

• 4 packages of 220g cream cheese, room temperature
• 330 g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 4 and 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Preparation:

1. Cake:
   
   Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper and lightly spray the paper with cooking spray.
   
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In another medium bowl, combine buttermilk, food coloring, and vanilla.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer), beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. While continuing to beat, add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
4. Reduce speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the flour mixture, beginning and ending with the flour; knead until smooth. Divide the dough evenly among the prepared pans.
5. Bake until the cakes are slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20–25 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Glaze:
   
   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer) until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Once all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
   
7. Assembly:
   
   Place one cake layer, convex side down, on a serving plate. Spread 1.5 cups of frosting evenly over it. Place the remaining cake layer, convex side up, on top. Spread 1.5 cups of frosting over it. Frost the sides of the cake with another 1.5 cups of frosting and smooth it out completely, so the cake is covered in a thin layer of frosting. It's okay if some of the cake is visible; this is just the base layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the frosting to set.
   
8. Spread the remaining glaze over the entire surface of the cake, swirling it decoratively. Refrigerate until ready to serve.