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Perfect Red Velvet Flag Cake Recipe with Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

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A moist and tender red velvet cake with a subtle cocoa flavor, topped with smooth and tangy cream cheese frosting, designed with a festive flag pattern perfect for patriotic occasions.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour – 2 ½ cups (300 g)
  • Cocoa powder, unsweetened – 2 tablespoons (15 g)
  • Baking soda – 1 ½ teaspoons
  • Salt – 1 teaspoon
  • Granulated sugar – 1 ½ cups (300 g)
  • Vegetable oil – 1 cup (240 ml)
  • Buttermilk – 1 cup (240 ml) (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice, let sit for 5 minutes)
  • Large eggs – 2, room temperature
  • Vanilla extract – 2 teaspoons
  • Red food coloring – 2 tablespoons (gel or liquid)
  • White distilled vinegar – 1 teaspoon
  • Cream cheese – 16 ounces (450 g), softened
  • Unsalted butter – ½ cup (115 g), softened
  • Powdered sugar – 4 cups (480 g), sifted
  • Vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, red food coloring, and vinegar until smooth and well combined.
  4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
  5. Evenly pour the batter into the two prepared pans, smoothing the surface with the spatula. Tap the pans lightly on the counter to release any air bubbles.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Start checking at 25 minutes.
  7. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely before frosting.
  8. Using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
  9. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating on low speed to avoid a sugar cloud, then increase to high until fluffy.
  10. Mix in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
  11. Once the cakes are cooled, trim the tops to level them if needed.
  12. Cut one cake into three equal horizontal strips for the red stripes.
  13. Cut a square corner from the other cake for the blue field.
  14. Optionally tint a portion of the frosting blue with gel food coloring for the star field or pipe white stars with frosting.
  15. Spread a thin crumb coat on all layers to lock in crumbs and chill for 15 minutes.
  16. Add a final thick layer of frosting and arrange the red strips and blue square on top to create the flag pattern.
  17. Pipe stars or use a star-shaped stencil for decoration.
  18. If frosting feels too soft, chill it in the fridge for 10 minutes before frosting the cake.

Notes

[‘Use gel food coloring for a richer red hue without thinning the batter.’, “If you don’t have buttermilk, use 1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice and let sit for 5 minutes.”, ‘Beat cream cheese and butter separately first to avoid lumps.’, ‘Chill the cake after crumb coating to make final frosting easier.’, ‘Practice piping stars on parchment paper before decorating the cake.’, ‘Keep cream cheese and butter at room temperature for at least an hour before frosting.’, “You can bake layers one at a time if you don’t have two pans, adjusting baking time slightly.”, ‘Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: red velvet cake, cream cheese frosting, flag cake, patriotic dessert, easy cake recipe, Fourth of July cake, layered cake, festive cake

Find it online: https://perkypan.com/perfect-red-velvet-flag-cake-recipe-with-easy-cream-cheese-frosting/