Best Red Velvet Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Grease the sides of the pans.

In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and melted butter for 1-2 minutes until the mixture lightens. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.

Whisk in buttermilk, vinegar, and red gel food coloring until fully combined. The batter should be bright red.

In a small bowl, combine Dutch-processed cocoa powder with boiling water. Stir until smooth and add to the wet mixture, mixing until fully combined.

Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the batter. Gently fold until fully combined—do not overmix.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter).

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cakes are cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting by beating together the softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until the frosting is fluffy and smooth.

Once the cakes have cooled, trim the domes from the layers. Place the first layer on a serving plate, spreading a generous amount of frosting. Repeat with the second layer, then cover the entire cake with a thin crumb coat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, then apply the final coat of frosting and decorate as desired.

Serve and enjoy your delicious red velvet cake!