Red Velvet Sheet Cake

Red Velvet Sheet Cake - made October 10, 2021 from I Heart Eating

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter 

1 cup water

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 large eggs, cold

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) red food coloring

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 - 3 cups powdered sugar

1-3 tablespoons buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 15 x 10-inch or 9 x 13-inch pan with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
3. In a heavy saucepan over low heat, combine butter, water and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly until combined.
4. Remove from heat and stir in eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and food color, whisking until well combined. Stir in flour mixture until combined.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
6. Frosting: beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until combined. Beat in powdered sugar and enough buttermilk for desired consistency. Frost cooled cake and cut into squares.

I'm not a great food photographer. I know there are classes that teach you how to do it well but I haven't taken any. We're getting into that time of the year where natural light is available in a smaller and smaller window of time during the day. That's my lead in as to why some of my foodie pictures are going to show up a little dark or under unnatural light.

Nevertheless, that doesn't detract from the deliciousness of this cake, no matter how it shows up in the pictures. This is everything a sheet cake should be: easy to make, no fuss, great flavor and has the perfect cakey texture. I need to make this kind of cake more often as it really was delicious.

The only annoying thing with red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting is the red velvet cake crumbs that show up quite starkly against the frosting and makes it look messy. You can minimize that by chilling the frosted cake and slicing with a knife dipped in hot water (and wiped dry before cutting) then cleaning off the knife after each cut.

As you can tell from my pictures, I didn't have or take that kind of time and effort. I made this for the weekly distribution to the local houseless population and, along with the other cakes I made that week, I needed to slice it up, package each piece and get everything ready for the porch pick up the organizers were kind enough to do when I bake something. But if taste is more important than looks for you, make this cake.