Description
This Purple Velvet Cake offers a delightful and vibrant twist on the traditional red velvet cake. Featuring moist, tender layers infused with purple food coloring and finished with a rich cream cheese frosting, it’s a stunning dessert perfect for special occasions or whenever you want to impress with a visually striking treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
Wet Ingredients
- 1½ cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon purple food coloring
Frosting Ingredients
- 1 pound cream cheese, softened
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Sift dry ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder to ensure even distribution and a light texture.
- Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, room temperature buttermilk, eggs, red and purple food colorings, white vinegar, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Combine mixtures: Gradually add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing gently until the batter is smooth and homogenous. Be careful not to overmix.
- Divide and bake: Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare the frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, and vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add sifted confectioners’ sugar and continue beating 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 continue frosting the top and sides of the cake evenly.
Notes
- Adjust the purple food coloring amount depending on your desired color intensity.
- Using room temperature ingredients ensures better batter texture and easier mixing.
- Cake flour can be substituted for all-purpose flour for a softer crumb.
- Check all ingredients for allergens if dietary restrictions apply.
- Ensure cakes are fully cooled before frosting to prevent melting.