Red, White and Blue Velvet Cake
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Serves 8-12
Difficulty medium
Ingredients
Red and Blue Velvet Cake:
- 2 ½ C. all-purpose flour
- 2 C. granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Powder
- 1 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 C. Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening, melted
- 1 ¼ C. buttermilk
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp. Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tbsp. white vinegar
- 2 tsp. red gel food coloring
- 2 tsp. sky blue gel food coloring
- 1-2 drops violet gel food coloring
Frosting:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ C. Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
- 1 tsp. Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 5 C. powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 Tbsp. milk
- 1-2 Tbsp. white food coloring, optional
Directions
Red and Blue Velvet Cakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line the bottoms of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the shortening for 30 seconds then stir. Continue to heat and stir in 15-second increments until melted.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and vinegar until well blended.
- Pour the milk mixture into the dry mixture and stir for about 5-10 seconds.
- Add the melted shortening and stir until fully incorporated.
- Divide the batter in half.
- To one half, add the red food coloring and stir until fully incorporated.
- To the other half, add the blue and violet food coloring and stir until fully incorporated.
- Pour each batter into a prepared cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and remove the parchment paper. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- While cooling, prepare the frosting.
Frosting:
- In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the cream cheese, shortening, vanilla and salt on medium speed until smooth.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then turn on low speed.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar, stopping occasionally to scrape the bowl.
- Once all the powdered sugar has been added, add the milk and blend.
- Then add the food coloring, if using, and blend until fully incorporated.
Assembly:
- Once the cakes have cooled, use a serrated knife to make the tops level, if needed.
- Place one cake, top side up, on a serving platter.
- Dollop a generous amount of frosting on top of the cake and spread to the edges.
- Top with the other cake, top side down.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting.
- Place in the refrigerator and allow the frosting to harden a bit.
- Remove from the refrigerator and finish frosting and decorating as desired.
