Description
This Purple Velvet Cake is a vibrant twist on the traditional red velvet, featuring a striking purple hue and a creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting. Moist and tender, this cake is perfect for celebrations or any time you want to impress with a visually stunning dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon purple food coloring (or more, for desired color)
Frosting
- 1 pound cream cheese, softened
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans to prevent sticking and ensure an even bake.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Sifting helps to remove lumps and aerate the mixture for a lighter cake.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, red food coloring, white distilled vinegar, vanilla extract, and purple food coloring until well blended and smooth.
- Make the Batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. Be careful not to overmix as this can make the cake dense.
- Bake the Cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Place them in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes. Then, carefully transfer them onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare the Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, and vanilla extract together until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Gradually add in the sifted confectioners’ sugar and beat until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
- Assemble the Cake: Once the cake layers are completely cool, frost the top of one layer. Place the second layer on top and frost the entire cake evenly with the cream cheese frosting for a smooth and delicious finish.
Notes
- Ensure all wet ingredients like eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature to help create a smooth, even batter.
- Adjust the amount of purple food coloring to achieve your desired intensity of color.
- If you don’t have purple food coloring, you can partially substitute with red and blue food coloring combined.
- For best results, use softened but not melted butter and cream cheese in the frosting for a creamy texture.
- Store the cake refrigerated due to the cream cheese frosting and bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.
