18 Layer Red Velvet Cake

Prep 1 hr 45 min
Total 4 hr 0 min
Servings 16

Take your holiday celebration to impressive new heights! Once you cut into this stunning cake, guests will go gaga over all 18 layers. You don’t have to reveal how easy it is to make. We won’t tell. MORE+ LESS-

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Updated March 31, 2015

Make with

Betty Crocker Cake Mix

Ingredients

White Cake

box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ white cake mix

1 1/4

cups water

1/3

cup vegetable oil

eggs

Red Velvet Cake

box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ German chocolate cake mix

cup water

1/2

cup vegetable oil

eggs

tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa

bottle (1 oz) red liquid food color (about 2 tablespoons)

Frosting

2 1/2

cups marshmallow creme (from two 7-oz jars)

1 1/2

cups butter, softened

teaspoon vanilla

to 2 tablespoons milk

4 1/2

cups powdered sugar

Steps

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1

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottom of each pan with cooking parchment paper. Spray parchment paper with cooking spray.
2

In large bowl, beat White Cake ingredients on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Loosely cover and refrigerate.
3

In another large bowl, beat Red Velvet Cake ingredients on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
4

Spread 1/2 cup red velvet batter in bottom of each pan. Loosely cover and refrigerate remaining batter. Place all 3 pans on oven rack positioned in center of oven. Bake about 8 minutes or until cake is set when lightly touched in center.
5

For next cake layer, spread 1/2 cup white batter evenly over each baked red velvet layer. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cake is set when lightly touched in center.
6

Repeat steps 4 and 5, twice, baking 9 to 12 minutes per layer or until top of cake layer is set when lightly touched in center.
7

Cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans; remove parchment paper from bottoms of cakes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
8

Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat marshmallow creme, butter, vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Beat in powdered sugar until fluffy. If necessary, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time until spreading consistency.
9

To assemble, stack cake layers, spreading 1/2 cup frosting between each layer. Spread thin layer of frosting over side and top of cake to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate cake 30 to 45 minutes to set frosting. Spread remaining frosting on side and top of cake.

Expert Tips

The origins of red velvet cake are a mystery, but it's been popular in the southern United States since the early 1900s. The smooth-as-silk and buttery-rich frosting is extra delicious.
In a pinch for time but still want to make this impressive layer cake? You can replace the homemade frosting with 3 containers (12 oz each) Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting.
You also can use Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ red velvet cake mix in place of the devil's food cake mix. Make red velvet cake batter using water, egg and oil amounts as called for on package. Omit unsweetened baking cocoa and red food color.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 590
Calories from Fat: 290

% Daily Value

Total Fat: 32g; 49%
Saturated Fat 14g 70% Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol: 115mg; 39%
Sodium: 410mg; 17%
Potassium: 65mg; 2%
Total Carbohydrate: 70g; 23%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Sugars 56g
Protein: 4g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 15%; 15%
Vitamin C: 0%; 0%
Calcium: 8%; 8%
Iron: 4%; 4%

Exchanges:

1 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 3 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 6 1/2 Fat;