Classic Blue Velvet Cake with Tangy Cream Cheese Frosting

This blue velvet cake has an angel food base with fresh blueberries baked into the cake, and is coated in a delicious and creamy cream cheese frosting.

INGREDIENTS

BLUE VELVET CAKE

1.25 Cups Cake Flour sifted
1.25 Cups Ultra-Fine Sugar
11 Egg Whites room temperature
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
.25 ounces Blue Food Coloring
1.5 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1.5 cups Blueberries fresh not frozen

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

7.5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
12 ounces cream cheese softened
2.25 cups powdered sugar
3 Teaspoons vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the cocoa powder.

In a large bowl, beat together the egg whites, vanilla extract, cream of tartar and salt until they begin to hold soft peaks. Then beat in the remaining 3/4 cups sugar and the blue food coloring until the mixture begins to hold stiff peaks, about 4 minutes or so.

Slowly fold in 1/4 cup of the flour mixture at a time. Use a spatula and take care not to stir the mixture, just keep folding until all of the flour mixture is incorporated. Pour one cup of blueberries into the batter and fold them in as well. Pour the batter into two well-greased 9-inch cake pans and bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes.
While the cake is baking, make the Cream Cheese Frosting. Mix the cream cheese, vanilla and butter together until they are completely combined. Add the powdered sugar and mix until blended. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to help solidify the texture.

Once the cake is done, remove it from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Shake the pan a little bit to loosen the grip of the cake, then place a plate on top of the pan and, wearing oven mitts, flip it over so that the pan is on the top and the plate is on the bottom. Gently remove the pan and place the plated cake layer in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Repeat this process with the second cake pan as well.

Once the cake layers and the frosting have finished cooling, place the bottom cake layer onto the display surface, (i.e. a cake stand or pretty plate that you will serve it off of), and begin evenly frosting the top of the bottom cake layer.

Second Cake Layer

Then, center the second cake layer on top of the bottom cake layer so that they line up perfectly. Now frost the sides and top of the cake so that the entire cake surface is frosted and no cake surface is visible through the frosting. Take the remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries and arrange them on top of the cake. Serve immediately.