Green Velvet Cake (Printer-friendly)

Vibrant emerald cake with gentle cocoa flavor and creamy frosting

# What You'll 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 Prepare:

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 the mixture is evenly green.
05 - Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing just until incorporated.
06 - Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
07 - Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks and let cool completely.
09 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat until light and creamy.
10 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread frosting over the top. Place second layer on top and frost the entire cake.
11 - Decorate with green sprinkles or crumbs from trimmed cake edges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cocoa is subtle enough that the chocolate plays nice supporting role instead of stealing the show
  • That tangy cream cheese frosting balances the sweet cake like they were made for each other
  • People genuinely cannot stop staring at it, and the photos turn out gorgeous every single time
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are non negotiable here—cold ingredients will curdle the frosting and give you a dense, tough cake
  • Gel food coloring is absolutely worth the extra trip to the craft store or online order
  • Don't frost even slightly warm cake layers or your beautiful white frosting will melt right off
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale to measure flour if you have one—scooping directly from the bag can add up to 25% more flour than you need
  • If your frosting feels too soft, refrigerate the frosted cake for 30 minutes before serving to help it set

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