Name: Fourth of July Red Velvet Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8 slices
Cuisine: American

Fourth of July Red Velvet Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Fourth of July Red Velvet Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting cover

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Fourth of July Red Velvet Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

atsloanestable.com

Instructions

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Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 6 inch cake pans and line each of them with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large glass measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and yogurt and warm in the microwave for about 20 seconds or so to bring to room temp. Stir in the vanilla, vinegar, and red food gel. Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until fully combined. Pour in the vegetable oil and eggs and beat until completely combined. Scrape down the bowl to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.

Next, alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture in thirds as the stand mixer mixes on low speed. Mix until just combined. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.

Pour batter into the three cake pans, using a kitchen scale to distribute the batter evenly.

Bake the cakes for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the cakes spring back when you touch them and the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans.

Allow cakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely.

Frosting

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth.

Slowly add the powdered sugar in, beating on low speed until fully combined. Add the vanilla and mix to incorporate.

Assembly

Secure the first layer of cake on the cake stand with a small amount of frosting on the bottom. Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to measure out the frosting for each layer. I used a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop and put 3 scoops of frosting on each layer. Cover the whole cake in a thin layer of frosting for the crumb coat. Place in the fridge to firm up for one hour.

If making red, white, and blue stars, take out 150g of frosting per color and place in three separate bowls. Color one red, one blue, and leave the last one white. Transfer each of them to piping bags with star piping tips of various sizes. Place in the freezer for a few minutes until ready to use.

After one hour, frost the cake with a thicker layer of frosting, making it as smooth as possible. Then, pipe red, white, and blue stars all over the cake as desired.

Keep the cake in the fridge until ready to serve.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Room Temperature Ingredients are Essential 🌡️
Bring eggs, cream cheese, buttermilk, and butter to room temperature before mixing to ensure a smooth, lump-free batter and properly emulsified frosting with no graininess.
Bloom Your Cocoa Powder 🍫
Mix the cocoa powder with hot water or buttermilk before adding to the batter to deepen the chocolate flavor and enhance the signature red velvet taste without overpowering the color.
Don't Overmix After Adding Flour ✋
Fold in the dry ingredients gently just until combined to maintain the cake's tender, velvety crumb texture and prevent tough, dense layers from overdeveloped gluten.
Level Your Layers for Perfect Stacking 📐
Use a cake leveler or serrated knife to trim the domed tops of cooled cake layers before frosting, ensuring stable, even layers and professional-looking presentation.
Chill Frosting Between Layers 🧊
Refrigerate the cream cheese frosting for 15-20 minutes between each layer application to prevent it from melting into the cake, creating clean lines and structural integrity for piping decorations.

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About the Cook

Sloan’s Table

Hi! I'm Sloane, welcome to Sloane’s Table! I am a Dartmouth College alumna, professional baker, recipe developer, and food photographer. Here, you will find tried & true bakery-worthy recipes ranging from simple sweets to technical pastries. Whether you are looking to challenge yourself and improve your baking skills or just want an easy, trust-worthy recipe, you're in the right place.