Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) (see note 7 if using a convection oven), and prepare two 8-inch cake tins by greasing them or lining with parchment paper (I like to use homemade cake release).

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Use a whisk or fork to mix until everything is evenly combined, then set aside.

In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer—either a stand or hand mixer (see note 6)—beat the mixture on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until it becomes light in texture and creamy in color.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition (about 10–15 seconds between eggs) to ensure proper incorporation.

Stir in the vanilla extract, white vinegar, and red liquid food coloring, mixing until the ingredients are well combined and the batter is evenly colored. Set your mixer aside, as the rest of the mixing will be done by hand.

Begin assembling the batter by folding in half of the prepared dry ingredients using a spatula, stirring gently until just combined. Then, add the buttermilk all at once and fold it in carefully. Finally, add the remaining dry ingredients and fold until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage (see note 1).

Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared 8-inch cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Avoid opening the oven door too early, as this can cause the cakes to collapse (see note 2), and take care not to overbake to prevent the cake layers from drying out.

Once baked, allow the cakes to cool in their pans for about 15–20 minutes. Then turn them out onto a wire rack and let them cool completely before applying frosting. For decorating tips, refer to the blog post with step-by-step photos or watch the linked YouTube video for a visual guide 🙂

In a saucepan over medium heat, add the sugar and flour. Stir continuously for about 2 minutes with a whisk or spatula to lightly toast the flour—be cautious not to burn it; the color should not noticeably change.

Pour in ¾ cup (180g) of milk and whisk until the mixture is completely smooth. Once no lumps remain, add the remaining ¾ cup (180g) of milk, continuing to whisk until smooth. This totals 1½ cups (360g) of full-fat milk.

Keep gently stirring until the mixture begins to bubble. Once it starts to bubble, continue stirring for one more minute until it thickens into a smooth, pudding-like consistency.

Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature. To speed up cooling, pour it onto a plate, press cling film directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add the room temperature butter and beat it on medium-high speed using a hand or stand mixer for about 5 minutes, or until it’s light, fluffy, and pale.

Once the flour and milk mixture has cooled completely to room temperature (not warm or cold), begin adding it to the whipped butter one tablespoon at a time, beating continuously. If the mixture is not at the right temperature, it may curdle (see note 9).

When all the flour mixture has been incorporated, add the vanilla extract and salt, and beat until everything is fully combined and the frosting is silky smooth. Your ermine frosting is now ready to use!