- Prep Time
- 10 mins
- Cooking Time
- 1 h
- Total Time
- 2 h
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups
- cake flour, sifted
- 625 mL
- 3 tbsp
- cocoa powder
- 45 mL
- 1 tsp
- baking powder
- 5 mL
- 1 tsp
- baking soda
- 5 mL
- 1 tsp
- salt
- 5 mL
- 1 ¼ cups
- buttermilk, room temperature
- 300 mL
- 2 tbsp
- red food colouring
- 30 mL
- 2 tsp
- apple cider vinegar
- 10 mL
- ¾ cup
- unsalted butter, room temperature
- 175 mL
- 1½ cups
- sugar
- 375 mL
- 3
- eggs
- 1 tbsp
- vanilla extract
- 15 mL
- Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 2 pkg
- plain, brick-style cream cheese, cold
- 8 oz each
- 1/2 cup
- unsalted butter, softened
- 125 mL
- 1½ cups
- icing sugar, sifted
- 375 mL
- 1 tsp
- vanilla extract
- 5 mL
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, food colouring and vinegar; set aside.
Step 2
In separate bowl, use electric mixer on medium speed to beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 min. Beat in eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding next. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, alternately mix in the dry mixture in 3 parts with the buttermilk mixture in 2 parts, starting and ending with the dry mixture. Scrape the bowl as needed between additions.
Step 3
Scrape batter into 2 greased and parchment-lined 9-in. (23-cm) round cake pans, smoothing the tops. Bake 30 to 35 min. until a tester comes out clean when inserted into centre of cake. Let stand 10 min. before running a sharp knife around edge and turning cake onto wire rack to cool completely. Remove parchment paper.
Step 4
Meanwhile, use electric mixer (clean beaters) beat the cream cheese until smooth then beat in the 1/2 cup (125 mL) butter until light and fluffy. Beat in icing sugar and vanilla just until smooth. Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place 1 layer on a serving platter; spread top with about 3/4 cup (175 mL) icing. Repeat process twice more. Top with last cake layer; spread remaining icing on top. Refrigerate at least 1 hr. to set icing before serving. Gather crumbs accumulated on platter to sprinkle on top to decorate cake. (Tip: Use a heart-shaped stencil for the crumb sprinkling when making cakes to celebrate loved ones.)
Tips
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