Classic Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

Cake

• 2.5 cups premium flour
• Vegetable oil for greasing molds
• 1.5 cups of sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1.5 cups of vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
• 2 category CO eggs at room temperature
• 2 tbsp red food coloring (30 ml)
• 1 teaspoon of table vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Cream cheese frosting, see recipe below
• Chopped pecans, for garnish

Cream cheese frosting

• 450 g softened cream cheese, such as Philadelphia
• 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 225 g (1 cup) softened butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease and flour 3 round cake tins (23 cm in diameter and 4 cm in height).
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, combine the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla extract.
3. Using a stand mixer, combine dry ingredients with liquid ingredients until a smooth dough forms.
4. Divide the cake batter among three cake pans. Place the pans in the oven, spacing them evenly. Bake for about 30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through at 180°C, until the cakes rise above the edges of the pans and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife along the edges to loosen them from the pan. Invert the cake pans one by one onto a plate, then onto a wire rack, convex side up. Let cool completely.

6. Cream cheese frosting

   
   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the pastry attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed.
7. Increase the speed to high and beat until the cream is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Stop the mixer occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)
8. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add vanilla extract, increase speed to high, and quickly beat until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Refrigerate until slightly firm before using. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Yield: Enough for the filling of a 3-layer, 9-inch cake.
9. The convex side of the cakes should be dry. Now, flip them over and place the first cake layer, convex side down, in the center of the cake turntable. Using a flat or offset spatula, spread a small amount of cream cheese frosting onto the surface of the cake. (Use enough frosting to create a 0.5-1 cm layer.) More recipe Cream cheese frosting.
10. Carefully place the other cake layer on top, rounded side down, and repeat. Place the final cake layer on top and completely cover the cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the surface of the cake with pecans.