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Sliced purple velvet cake with cream cheese frosting on a decorative plate

Purple Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A stunning purple cake with rich, velvety texture paired with indulgent cream cheese frosting, perfect for any celebration.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 400 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Cake

  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder
  • 1.5 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 tbsp red food coloring
  • 1 tsp white distilled vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp purple food coloring (or more, as needed) Adjust to achieve desired color

For the Frosting

  • 1 pound cream cheese, softened
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or line them with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, red food coloring, white vinegar, and vanilla extract.
  • Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth.
  • Stir in the purple food coloring until desired color is achieved.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cooling

  • Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then gently remove from pans and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting

  • Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
  • Add the vanilla extract and gradually incorporate the sifted confectioners’ sugar until smooth.

Assembly

  • Once the cakes are completely cooled, spread cream cheese frosting on top of the first layer, place the second layer on top, and frost the entire cake.
  • Decorate with sprinkles or edible flowers if desired.

Notes

Consider adding lemon zest to the frosting for added flavor. Store the cake covered in the fridge for up to a week.
Keyword Baking, celebration cake, Cream Cheese Frosting, Purple Velvet Cake, Velvet Cake