Name: Red Velvet Cake Rounds
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups (11 1/4 ounces/35 grams) all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda; Pinch salt; 1 cup buttermilk; 1 tablespoon white vinegar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 large eggs; 2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder; 2 tablespoons red food coloring; 12 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened; 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces/298 grams) granulated sugar

Why This Recipe Works

Beyond red velvet cake’s shocking bright color, there’s something more—an extra-tender cake, which we achieved by using two unexpected ingredients: buttermilk and vinegar. They reacted with our recipe’s baking soda to create a fine, tender crumb. We also zeroed in on the perfect amount of cocoa that would add a dark hue to our Red Velvet Cake Rounds and lend them a pleasant cocoa flavor.

Instructions

for the cake

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and eggs together in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Mix cocoa with food coloring in small bowl until smooth paste forms.

Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Reduce speed to medium-low, add one-third of flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Slowly add half of buttermilk mixture and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Repeat with half of remaining flour mixture, remaining buttermilk mixture, and finally remaining flour mixture, scraping down bowl as needed.

Add cocoa mixture, increase speed to medium, and beat until completely incorporated, about 30 seconds. Using rubber spatula, give batter final stir. Scrape batter into prepared pans. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours.