Red Velvet Sheet Cake
MAKES
one 9 x 13 inch / 23 x 33 cm sheet cake
TAKES
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour 45 minutes
✻ ABOUT THIS RECIPE
There’s a reason red velvet remains a crowd fave, and topped with cream cheese frosting, I also find it seriously craveable. In my opinion, red velvet is actually meant to be a sheet cake. Cake layers need to hold some structure when assembled, but this cake can be even more moist since it’s a single layer.
INGREDIENTS
Red Velvet Cake
270 g / 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
330 g / 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
16 g / 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
8 g / 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 g / ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
226 g / 1 cup unsalted butter
230 g / 1 cup buttermilk
115 g / ½ cup water
113 g / 2 large eggs
10 g / 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
14 g / 1 tablespoon red food coloring
Cream Cheese Frosting
226 g / 8 ounces cream cheese frosting, at room temperature
113 g / ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
340 g / 3 cups powdered sugar
10 g / 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 g / ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Make This Recipe With Me:
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C with an oven rack in the center. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch / 23 x 33 cm cake pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan in both directions with parchment paper, allowing any excess to hang over the side (to help you unmold the cake later). Lightly grease the parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together to combine.
3. Melt the butter in a small pot, and pour it into a medium bowl. Immediately add the buttermilk, water, eggs, vanilla, and food coloring, and whisk well to combine.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture, and whisk to evenly combine. Scrape the base and sides of the bowl well with a spatula, and whisk once more to ensure it’s smooth.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan - it should settle into an even layer. Transfer to the oven and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, 40-45 minutes.
6. Cool the cake in the pan completely in the pan. Run a small offset spatula around the outer edge of the cake to help release it from the pan. Use the excess parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan. Transfer the cake to a serving platter and peel away the parchment paper.
7. Make the frosting: in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Scrape the bowl well, then add the powdered sugar gradually in 3 additions, mixing until each addition is incorporated before adding the next.
8. Scrape the bowl and paddle well. Add the vanilla and salt and mix on medium speed until well combined.
9. Dollop the frosting over the surface of the cake, and spread into an even layer - or transfer it to a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice, to pipe the frosting over the surface.
✻ HAVE YOU BAKED IT?
Tag @emcdowell on Instagram or use #happybaking. I’d love to see your bakes!
