Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (I LOVE my round ones!). Spray with nonstick cooking spray WITH FLOUR or grease and flour the pans.

Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside. (You MUST sift them)

Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.

Combine Ingredients: Beat in the oil until well combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until combined. With the mixer on low, beat in the vinegar, vanilla, and red food coloring.

Alternate Dry Ingredients: Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with buttermilk, scraping down the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium, and beat just until incorporated, about 30 seconds (don’t overmix). Give the batter a final stir by hand.

Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (I weigh mine with a food scale). Drop the pans on the counter a few times to eliminate air bubbles. Bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18-25 minutes. I tested in a few different ovens with varying times, so the bottom line is: do NOT overbake. Test early and often, and bake just until done.

Cake: Let the cakes cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a baking rack. Let them cool completely before frosting, about 2 hours.

Note: This is a unique method from Cook's Illustrated that makes the frosting thicker and more stable. It will look super thick at first, but it will thin to the ideal consistency when you add the cream cheese.

Combine: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and sugar on low speed for a minute, then gradually increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes (it will be grainy). Add the cream cheese 1 piece at a time, beating a few times after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and salt. If your frosting seems too runny, beat in a little more sugar.

Level Cakes: Using a serrated knife, level the top of each cake. Use your fingers to crumble the removed cake tops into small crumbs, then set them aside to garnish the cake.

Layer Cakes: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and frost with 1 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with the 2nd cake layer.

Crumb Coat: Separate 1/2 cup frosting (or more as needed), and create a thin crumb layer by frosting the top and the sides of the cake. Cover and refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes (this sets the crumb coat and creates beautiful layers).

Frost: After 30 minutes, spread the remaining frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake. If desired, you can pipe a border along the edge. Garnish with the cake crumbs. Best served at room temperature.