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Perfect Red Velvet Flag Cake Recipe Easy Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting Tutorial

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A visually stunning and delicious red velvet flag cake with rich, tangy cream cheese frosting, perfect for celebrations and easy enough for home cooks.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil, neutral flavor
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons red food coloring (gel or liquid)
  • 16 oz (450g) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • A pinch of salt (for frosting)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
  3. In another bowl, whisk sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating lightly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
  4. Add buttermilk and red food coloring to wet ingredients, mix gently until uniform red color is achieved.
  5. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
  6. Fold in vinegar quickly but gently.
  7. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops. Tap pans lightly to release air bubbles.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Test doneness with toothpick; it should come out clean or with moist crumbs.
  9. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
  10. Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy (3-5 minutes). Gradually add powdered sugar, beating on low then high until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and salt.
  11. Level cake tops if needed. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the first layer. Alternate frosting and cake layers to create stripes. Use offset spatula to smooth edges and create flag design with frosting dots or stars in one corner.
  12. Chill cake in fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving to set frosting and keep flag design crisp.

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients for smooth mixing. Do not overmix batter to avoid dense cake. Gel food coloring gives vibrant red color without thinning batter. Chill cake before slicing to keep frosting firm and neat. If frosting is too soft, chill and re-whip before spreading. Use parchment paper liners to prevent sticking.

Nutrition

Keywords: red velvet cake, flag cake, cream cheese frosting, Fourth of July cake, celebration cake, easy red velvet, homemade frosting

Find it online: https://magnetmeal.com/perfect-red-velvet-flag-cake-recipe-easy-homemade-cream-cheese-frosting-tutorial/