Tarta de capas Red Velvet

Ingredientes

• 1 cup vegetable or canola oil (225g)
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature (240g)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature (112g)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)
• 1 tsp white vinegar (4g)
• 1 tsp red gel food coloring (or 1 Tbsp liquid food coloring)
• 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (310g)
• 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (8g)
• 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
• 1 tsp baking soda (6g)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder (2g)
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (339g)
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (113g)
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12ml)
• 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
• 7 cups powdered sugar (904g or a 2 lb. bag)
• 1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature (15ml)

Preparación

1. 1

   --- Red Velvet Cake ---

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line and grease 3, 6-inch pans. Set aside.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp white vinegar, and 1 tsp red gel food coloring. Mix until combined and the batter is evenly colored.

4. 4

   Add 2 cups of granulated sugar and whisk for 30 seconds to help dissolve the sugar.

5. 5

   Then mix in 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Whisk until combined. The batter should be smooth,

6. 6

   Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 27-30 minutes. Remove pans from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Carefully flip the layers out of the pans and place them on a wire rack to finish cooling.

7. 7

   Level the cake tops with a serrated knife once they're fully cooled. Use a fork to crumble the cake tops, and cover and set aside. If you're making these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.

8. 8

   --- Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting ---

9. 9

   Beat 1 1/2 cups of butter and 1/2 cup of cream cheese on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth.

10. 10

    Mix in 1 Tbsp vanilla and 1 tsp salt on a low speed until the ingredients are combined.

11. 11

    Gradually mix in 7 cups of powdered sugar on a low speed. Add 1 Tbsp of heavy cream halfway through to make the frosting easier to mix. If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).

12. 12

    Cover the cream cheese frosting with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming and set aside.

13. 13

    --- Red Velvet Cake Assembly ---

14. 14

    Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.

15. 15

    Add an even layer of cream cheese buttercream between each cake layer.

16. 16

    Spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

17. 17

    Cover the cake in a second, thicker layer of frosting and smooth using a bench scraper. Gently press the reserved red velvet crumbs along the side of the cake with your hand.

18. 18

    Place the remaining cream cheese buttercream into a frosting bag fitted with a Wilton 1M frosting tip and pipe a border around the top of the cake. Then enjoy!