Prepare the cake
1.Prepare the cake batter:
Heating the oven to a temperature of about 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius would be a good first step. Prepare two 9’ round cake pans and coat them both with greased sheets and flour.
Dump all the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl determining the dry ingredients. All of these are done to ensure that most lumps are settled and the ingredients have a good mix.
In a different bowl, add all moist ingredients like buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla essence, vinegar, and red food color, and mix until smooth.
Incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients in a controlled manner to avoid clumping. Do not mix more than necessary with the flour.
At this time, slowly add the hot water to the batter and mix fast but gently look at the consistency of the batter. It also gives it a dense, moist cake that’s very Tender.
2.Bake the cakes:
Evenly sample out the already prepared cake and in the batter. Use a spatula to get rid of the bumps on the edges.
Place the mixture in the cake pan and bake in the already-set oven for 25-30 minutes. No batter should be clinging to the toothpick after removal.
When shortcakes are just brought out from the oven, it is usually good to allow them to settle before moving them in to cool off for 10 min or so. Place the cakes on a wire rack to cool down completely.
3.Preparing the Cream Cheese Frosting:
Prepare a large bowl and cream together the softened butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Then, sift and add the powdered sugar in a cosmos cup and mix well after each addition to avoid lumps.
Pour in the vanilla extract and a few sprinkles of salt and beat the frosting well till it’s light and fluffy for about two to three minutes more.
4.Putting Together the Cake:
Once the cakes are completely cool, the tops may be trimmed using a serrated knife for leveling.
Take one cake layer and place it on a serving plate or stand. Using the whipped cream cheese, generously spread some over the layer.
Place the second layer of the cake and gently press down to adhere it to the first layer. Apply frosting around the layers (sides and top) of the cake to hold the crumbs and allow for the whole cake to be refrigerated for 20 minutes.
After the crumb coat is chilled, apply thicker frosting all around the cake as in the previous step. This time use the frosting and a spatula to smoothen out the frosting.
5.Adorning and Presenting:
You can sprinkle red velvet crumbs, nuts, or fresh berries on the cake if wished.
Cut and serve the cake at room temperature for optimum taste and texture.