Red Velvet Cake

By LADONMANK

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 3 3/4 •3 3/4 cups AP Flour
• 3 •3 tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 •1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 •1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 •12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/4 •2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 •3/4 cups vegetable oil
• 3 •3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 •1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 •1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1 •1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 1 1/2 •1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
• Frosting:
• 1/2 •1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 •1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 •1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 7 •7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 •3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 •1 1/2 cups superfine sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans and line each pan with a round of parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl

Cream the butter, sugar and oil in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beat until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla, vinegar and food coloring.

Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches alternating with the buttermilk, mixing well after each addition. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes before removing the cake from the pans. Let cool completely before frosting. Slice each cake into 2 layers and frost.

Frosting:
Combine the cream, milk, vanilla bean and seeds in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove the vanilla bean and discard. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened to a paste, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a bowl, cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours.

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until the mixture is very fluffy and the sugar is totally dissolved, about 6 minutes. Add the cold paste, a few tablespoons at a time to the butter mixture and whip until light and fluffy.