Green Velvet Cake (Printable View)
Vibrant emerald cake with subtle cocoa notes topped with tangy cream cheese frosting for festive occasions.
# What You Need:
→ Cake Batter
01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 tsp baking soda
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - 1½ cups granulated sugar
06 - 1 cup vegetable oil
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
09 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
10 - 1 tsp white vinegar
11 - 1–1½ tbsp green gel food coloring
→ Cream Cheese Frosting
12 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
13 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
14 - 3½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
15 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat sugar and oil in a large bowl until combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
04 - Stir in buttermilk, vanilla extract, vinegar, and green food coloring. Whisk until mixture is evenly colored.
05 - Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches, mixing just until incorporated.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 28–32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
07 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
08 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat until light and creamy.
09 - Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread frosting over top. Add second layer and frost entire cake. Decorate with green sprinkles or cake crumbs if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The buttermilk creates an incredibly moist crumb that stays fresh for days, making it perfect for make ahead celebrations
- That subtle hint of cocoa keeps it grounded in red velvet tradition while the color feels playful and fresh
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are nonnegotiable here, cold eggs or dairy will cause your batter to separate and affect the final texture
- Gel food coloring is worth the extra hunt, liquid coloring can't achieve this intensity without thinning your batter
03 -
- If you don't have buttermilk, mix one cup of regular milk with one tablespoon of white vinegar and let it sit for five minutes
- Rotate your cake pans halfway through baking for even rise and color, especially if your oven has hot spots