Description
A striking Purple Velvet Cake featuring a moist, tender crumb infused with vibrant purple gel food coloring, rich cocoa, and buttermilk, topped with a luscious white chocolate cream cheese frosting that balances sweetness and tang perfectly. This cake serves 12 and is ideal for special occasions or whenever you want a visually stunning and delicious dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tbsp purple gel food coloring
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and lightly flour two round cake pans to ensure the cakes do not stick and bake evenly.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended to ensure even distribution of leavening agents and cocoa.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the granulated sugar and vegetable oil, mixing until well integrated. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Next, stir in the buttermilk followed by the purple gel food coloring to achieve the vibrant color.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overmixing which can toughen the cake crumb.
- Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the cakes cool completely in their pans before frosting.
- Prepare the Frosting: Melt the white chocolate chips in intervals, stirring between each, until smooth and fully melted. In a bowl, whip the softened cream cheese until fluffy, then gradually add the melted white chocolate and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cakes have completely cooled, spread the white chocolate cream cheese frosting generously over one cake layer, stack the second layer on top, and finish frosting the top and sides to your desired coverage.
Notes
- Ensure the cake layers are completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- You can substitute buttermilk with regular milk plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar, left to sit for 5 minutes.
- Use gel food coloring rather than liquid for a more vibrant color without altering batter consistency.
- This cake is best served chilled and stored in the refrigerator due to the cream cheese frosting.
- For easier frosting application, chill the cake layers briefly before frosting.
