Let’s bake this iconic Moist Red Velvet Cake! First, prepare your oven and pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray three 9-inch round cake pans generously with baking spray (one containing flour is ideal). Set them aside. Ensure your key ingredients (buttermilk, eggs, cream cheese, butter) are at room temperature before starting.

Prepare the cake batter. In a large bowl (the recipe suggests using your mixer bowl to save dishes), sift together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, fine salt, and Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Whisk them well to ensure everything is evenly combined and free of lumps. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients for the cake: vegetable oil, room temperature buttermilk, room temperature eggs, red food coloring, white distilled vinegar, and pure vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined and the color looks uniform.

Now, combine the wet and dry. Pour the whisked wet ingredients into the bowl containing the sifted dry ingredients. Using your standing mixer with the paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer) on low to medium speed, mix the batter just until the ingredients are blended and no major dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix. Stop the mixer and use a flat rubber or silicone spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, ensuring everything is incorporated into the batter gently.

Pour the finished red velvet batter evenly among the three prepared 9-inch cake pans. Try to ensure each pan gets roughly the same amount for even baking. Smooth the tops slightly if needed.

Place the pans in the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 18 to 20 minutes. This baking time seems quite short for 9-inch layers, so the recipe wisely advises starting to check for doneness around the 16-minute mark. The cakes are done when a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The recipe also suggests rotating the pans halfway through the baking process for more even cooking. Avoid overbaking, as this will lead to a dry cake.

Once baked, remove the pans from the oven and let the cake layers cool in the pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes. Then, carefully run a knife around the edges if needed and invert the layers onto the cooling racks to cool completely before frosting. Warm cake layers will melt the cream cheese frosting.

While the cakes cool, make the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting. Ensure your cream cheese and butter are properly softened to room temperature for a smooth, non-lumpy result. Place the softened cream cheese, softened butter, pure vanilla extract, and sifted confectioners’ sugar into the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a large bowl and handheld mixer).

Mix all the frosting ingredients together on medium speed for about 5 minutes. Stop occasionally (every minute or so) to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula. Continue mixing until the frosting is very light in texture, fluffy, and smooth. If using a handheld mixer, this might take slightly longer. Taste and adjust if needed (though adjustments aren’t mentioned, a tiny bit more sifted sugar could thicken, or a tsp of milk/cream could thin if absolutely necessary, but this recipe aims for simplicity).

Assemble the cake once the layers are completely cool. If the cakes have domed tops, you can use a long serrated knife to level them for easier stacking, but it’s not strictly necessary. Place one cake layer onto your serving plate or cake stand. Spread a generous layer of the whipped cream cheese frosting evenly over the top (about 1/3 of the frosting).

Carefully place the second cake layer on top of the first frosted layer. Spread another generous layer of frosting over the second layer. Place the third cake layer on top. Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the entire cake. Use an offset spatula to smooth the frosting as neatly as desired, or create decorative swirls. For a traditional look, some people reserve cake scraps from leveling, crumble them finely, and press them onto the sides or around the base. Chill the cake before serving to allow the frosting to set.