3-Layer Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream

This is a very special cake.

And not because it’s the very first 3-layer cake I ever made (which it is!).

Or because the frosting has that dangerous buttercream quality of being so deliciously smooth and melt-in-your-mouth amazing that the thought that there’s over a pound of butter in it never crosses your mind until after it has crossed your lips.  (Yes, I know that’s a lot of butter…for those of you on diets, you may want avert your eyes and pretend you never saw this post.  It’s about to get graphic, in a buttercream-y sort of way.)

This cake is special because I made it to celebrate mine and Mike’s 6^th wedding anniversary.

I was one happy girl when he deemed it (and I quote) the best cake and frosting he’s ever had.  So happy, in fact, that I promised to make it for him again in another 6 years.  ;)

A Note on the 3 Layers:  Because of the occasion, I wanted to make this cake extra special so I made it 3 layers.  For most occasions (or hey, maybe just a Monday night), a regular 2-layer cake would probably suffice, which is why below I’ve included the amounts for a 2-layer cake if you prefer.

3-Layer Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream

(Yield:  1 (3-layer) cake)

Red Velvet Cake:  (Adapted from my mom’s Crazy Chocolate Cake recipe that I used to make Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle Cupcakes with Hazelnut Buttercream)

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little more to flour the baking pans

2 3/4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

1 cup canola oil

1 1/4 cups water

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 oz (about 2 1/2 tablespoons) red food coloring

Butter, to grease the baking pans

Preheat oven to 350F; butter and flour 3 (9 1/2 inch) round cake pans.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder; make three wells (1 large and 2 small) in the mixture.  To each well, add vanilla, vinegar, and oil; mix batter, gradually adding water and buttermilk.  Once batter is mixed, stir in food coloring.

Divide batter between the 3 prepared cake pans and bake 25-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting with cream cheese buttercream.  (Optional:  Chill before serving so buttercream cuts smoothly.)

Cream Cheese Buttercream:  (Adapted from my recipe for Swiss Meringue Buttercream that I used to frost Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes)

4 large egg whites

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla

22 oz (5 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

12 oz (1 1/2 boxes) Neufchatel cheese (or cream cheese), room temperature

In a double boiler, whisk together the egg whites and sugar.  Heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm (about 140F), whisking frequently (about 3-5 minutes).  Transfer the egg white/sugar mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Add the salt and beat on high speed until the mixture is thick and glossy (about 5-7 minutes).  Beat in the extract, then gradually add the butter and cream cheese piece by piece while beating; stop beating when the buttercream is thick and smooth.

Here are the measurements for 1 (2-layer) cake (the method is the same as above):

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little more to flour the baking pans

Scant 2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons vinegar

2/3 cup canola oil

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

1 c buttermilk

2/3 oz (about 5 teaspoons) red food coloring

Butter, to grease the baking pans