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Red Velvet Celebration Cake

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A moist and vibrant red velvet cake with a light, tangy cream cheese frosting, perfect for 4th of July celebrations and other festive occasions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (310 g), sifted
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300 g)
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk (240 ml), room temperature
  • 1 cup vegetable oil (240 ml), canola preferred
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons red gel food coloring
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (225 g), softened
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (115 g), softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar (480 g), sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans or line them with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, red food coloring, espresso powder, and white vinegar until smooth.
  4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently with a spatula or mixer on low speed. Stop as soon as the batter is smooth and uniform to avoid a dense cake.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans (about 2 cups/480 ml each). Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.
  7. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until creamy and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then the vanilla and salt. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Chill for 10-15 minutes if frosting is too soft.
  8. Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting evenly on top. Add the second layer and frost the top and sides smoothly. Optionally, pipe decorative rosettes or stars with leftover frosting.

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients for best results. Gel food coloring provides vibrant color without thinning the batter. Do not overmix the batter to avoid a dense cake. Chill frosting if too soft before spreading. Cool cake layers completely before frosting to prevent melting.

Nutrition

Keywords: red velvet cake, 4th of July dessert, cream cheese frosting, celebration cake, easy red velvet, patriotic dessert

Find it online: https://lenatable.com/red-velvet-celebration-cake-recipe-easy-4th-of-july-dessert-idea/