Red Velvet Christmas Cake: Four Deep Red Layers With Firm Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

Instructions

Make the cake layers

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottoms of two 9-inch (22 to 24 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper, grease the sides with butter and dust them with flour.

2. In a bowl, mix the sifted flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a second bowl, stir the kefir with the red gel food coloring until it is a deep red.

4. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy (at least 5 minutes). Beat in the eggs one at a time. Finally, slowly pour in the oil and beat it in.

5. Add the dry mixture and the colored kefir to the butter mixture in alternating additions, in three rounds, starting and ending with the dry mixture. Only fold the batter lightly with a spatula.

6. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Test with a toothpick to make sure the layers are baked through.

7. Let the baked layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack and let them cool completely.

Make the cream and assemble the cake

1. This is the key step for a perfect cream: First whip the well-chilled heavy cream to stiff peaks in a bowl. Set it aside in a cool place.

2. In a second, larger bowl, briefly beat the room-temperature cream cheese with the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.

3. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture in two additions with a spatula, so the cream stays firm and fluffy.

4. Cut a thin "cap" off the top of each completely cooled layer so they are perfectly flat. Set these trimmings aside. Then cut each layer in half horizontally to get 4 thin layers.

5. Start stacking: set the first layer on a platter, spread a quarter of the cream over it and continue until all layers are used. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream.

6. Crumble the trimmings with your hands into fine crumbs and press them all over the sides and top of the cake.

7. Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 to 6 hours, ideally overnight.