Soft Red Velvet Cake

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1. 1Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) conventional (see note 5 if using a convection oven with a fan) and grease and/or line two 8x3-inch cake pans (I use my homemade cake release).
2. 2Step 2: In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using a whisk, mix until well combined. Set aside for now.
3. 3Step 3: In a large bowl, add the butter, vegetable oil and sugar. Using an electric mixer (see note 6), cream together for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy.
4. 4Step 4: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
5. 5Step 5: Add the vanilla, vinegar and red liquid food coloring, and mix until well combined. Set the mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
6. 6Step 6: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold together with a spatula until just combined. Add all of the buttermilk and gently fold until just combined. Lastly, add the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix (see note 7).
7. 7Step 7: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Be careful not to open the oven door too early, as this can cause the cake layers to sink (see note 8). Also, avoid overbaking the cake layers, as this can cause them to dry out.
8. 8Step 8: Allow the cakes to cool in the cake pans for 15-20 minutes before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack to completely cool. Once cooled, frost with my cream cheese frosting (see blog post above for decorating ideas). Once your cake is decorated, pop it into the fridge for 30 minutes to allow everything to firm up (see note 9).