A moist, classic Red Velvet Cake!! Made from scratch, and surprisingly easy when a few specific, simple steps are followed. This iconic cake has a soft “velvet” texture, just like what you get from the best top end fine bakeries, and is topped with soft, cream cheese frosting.
After Red Velvet Cupcakes? Here they are! UK readers: Please read note 7.
Red Velvet Cake recipe – tried and tested favourite!
This Red Velvet Cake has been taste tested and given a big thumbs up by many people because it’s a rather large cake and I’ve made it 5 times in the last two weeks.
“FIVE TIMES??!!”, I hear you exclaim (out loud or in your head). “You’re MAD!!”
If getting this cake exactly to my taste, as close as I can get it to the cakes you get from posh bakeries, and ensuring it works using both US and metric (i.e. rest of the world!!) measures means that I’m a mad baker, I’ll take that title. 😉
Besides, I’m really enjoying baking at the moment. There is something so satisfying about making something as pretty as Red Velvet Cake.
To tell you the honest truth, the reason I made it so many times in recent weeks is because my original recipe got a “so-so” response from the two toughest taste-testers I know: my mother and brother.
“The sponge is zara-zara”, my mother declared on first bite.
What the….?? Zara-zara? What on earth does that mean??
“Zara-zara” means “rough” in Japanese. The Japanese language has a handful of words which sound like what it means. “Zara-zara” being a perfect example. Usually it cracks me up. Not that day.
I gasped, indignant, and grabbed a spoon to shovel a bite into my mouth, ready to argue. And I realised – she was right. It was not as velvety as it could be. As it should be.
NOT HAPPY.
So I improved it. 🙂
What is Red Velvet Cake?
Red Velvet Cake is not just a chocolate cake with red food colouring added. This cake is softer than most, “velvet-like”, and the chocolate taste is actually quite mild. It’s more like a cross between a vanilla and chocolate cake with a very subtle tang from buttermilk. And it is generously smothered in a fluffy cream cheese frosting.
It’s wildly popular in America and there’s a cult following in Australia. Give it a few years, it will become a firm favourite soon!
The cake tastes buttery and moist, because it has butter in it for flavour, and oil for moisture. Yes, you need both, I promise you. It is not the same if you use only one of them.
Why should you use THIS Red Velvet Cake!
There are 3 more specific things about this recipe which might be a bit different to other Red Velvet recipes you have seen, but there’s a reason for it.
1. Cake flour – it’s a must! It’s key to achieving that soft silky sponge, just like what you get from posh bakeries. However, if you really can’t find it, please see the notes for a substitute;
2. Only 2 eggs – I’ve seen some recipes call for up to 5 eggs. I only use 2. It’s enough to hold the cake together just fine – any more than 2, and find the cake begins to start tasting “eggy”; and
3. Buttermilk – For almost every other baking recipe that I make using buttermilk, I say that you can substitute with lemon juice + milk which, when left for 5 minutes, curdles to have the same effect as using buttermilk. Not for this recipe – sorry! It is just not the same – part of the reason mine was “zara zara”. 😂
Oh, and one more rule. There is no substitute for Philadelphia Cream Cheese for the frosting. I’ve tried better value store-brand cream cheese before. It is never the same. Promise. ❤
I bake the layers in 2 separate tins, but if you don’t have two tins, you can make one big one and cut the cake in half. And to make the layers nice and neat, I cut the dome top off.
I like to crumble the off cuts and use it to decorate the cake. I think it looks pretty, don’t you? But that’s purely optional!
I promise you, there is nothing tricky about this cake. All you have to do is ensure you measure the ingredients properly, rather than just eye-balling it. 😉 As long as you do that, it’s actually easy to make, no more difficult than an ordinary sponge cake.
Putting aside fiddly fancy decorated cakes, Red Velvet Cake is surely one of the most striking and stunning cakes around. If you’ve never tried it before, you’re in for a real treat! – Nagi x
Red Velvet Cake
Watch how to make it
How to make Red Velvet Cake – quick tutorial video! Red Velvet Cake for UK readers – please ensure you read Notes 7 and 9.
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Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups (400 g) plain cake flour (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp (10 g) cocoa powder , unsweetened
- 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda / bi-carb soda , NOT baking powder (Note 2)
- Pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter , softened (1 US stick)
- 1 1/2 cups (330 g) caster / superfine white sugar (Note 3a)
- 2 eggs , at room temperature (around 2 oz / 60g each)
- 1 cup (250ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (or essence)
- 1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk , at room temperature (Note 4)
- 2 1/2 tbsp red food colouring liquid (UK: use Gel, Note 7)
Frosting (Note 10)
- 14 oz (400 g) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, block , softened but not too soft (UK see Note 9)
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter , softened (but not too soft)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups (450 g) soft icing sugar / powdered sugar sifted (Note 3b)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (all oven types). Butter 2 x 21cm / 8″ round cake pans (sides and base) and dust with cocoa powder.
- Sift the Dry Ingredients and whisk to combine in a bowl.
- Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with electric beater or in stand mixer until smooth and well combined (use paddle attachment if using stand mixer).
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating in between to combine. At first it will look curdle – keep beating until it’s smooth.
- Add vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla, buttermilk and red food colouring. Beat until combined and smooth (Note 5).
- Add Dry Ingredients. Beat until just combined – some small lumps is ok, that’s better than over mixing.
- Divide batter between cake pans. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes on the same shelf, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. (Note 6)
- Rest for 10 minutes in the pan then turn out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool.
Frosting
- Beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla for 3 minutes (this makes it really smooth and changes from yellow to almost white). Add icing sugar and beat for 2 minutes or until frosting is light and fluffy to your taste. If your frosting seems too runny (depends on quality of cream cheese/ if the cream cheese was too soft), just add more icing sugar.
Frost Cake
- Cut the top off the cake using a serrated knife (to make the layers neat).
- Spread one cake with 1 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with the other cake. Spread top and sides with remaining frosting.
- Optional: Crumble offcuts and use to decorate the top rim and base of the cake.
Recipe Notes:
Let them eat cake! 10 more classic cakes
.Life of Dozer
This is how he starts every day: assessing the surf. 😉
Hi Nagi, I made this lovely red velvet cake once before this and my hubby proclaimed that “it’s the best cake ever”! So, I’m going to make it again and I was just wondering if the cake can be made in advance and kept in the freezer? I’m hoping to bake the cake on Tuesday for a party on Saturday..
Hi Lakshmi – yes you can bake the layers in advance then freeze them wrapped in clingfilm and just frost it the day before or on the day you need it! N x
Thanks so much, Nagi xx love your work!
Thanks so much, Nagi xx love your work!
Hello Nagi~ I recently made this cake for a friends birthday. I had only just recently made a red velvet cake and I was not fully satisfied with it. I came across your recipe and the cake flour struck me as different so I wanted to make it as a comparison.
I feel your take on the cake was a much better version! So much so in fact that when I baked the layers, they flattened while inverted while cooling that I had nothing to trim for the crumbs! I had to make another half layer and baked them as cupcakes for sacrifice to the food processor as crumbs (only 2 of the 12 had to get blitzed). I used my preferred recipe for cream cheese frosting (subs some powered sugar for milk powder for toned down sweetness).
A bit long winded but I loved the result, I would perhaps in the future just stick to making them as cupcakes as they are less work 😛
That’s excellent Ben and I agree that the cake flour makes this one a much nicer texture. Secretly, I often make cupcakes over cake – less work!! N x
Can I use black cocoa instead?
You can, Kim but the colour won’t be bright red! N x
Simply the BEST!!! It was our first baking trial (we never baked cake before) and wanted to give it a go. We love red velvet cakes and did not want to waste our effort for something we don’t like much. The result was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
Thank you zillions for sharing this truly professional recipe.
p.s. The cake is too big for a family of 2 LOLLLL. So, if i want to half the cake size (using 2 x 5″ pans), how should i reduce the quantity of ingredients? Shall i just half all the items or it will taste not as good?
I haven’t tested a pan that small Wasiq but I can tell you that the unfrosted layers freeze well so if you bake two, just freeze one for later and cut the other one in half and stack it to make a half cake! Happy baking! N x
Hi Nagi I live in the UK and have bought some
Caputo Pasticceria soft wheat flour type “OO” is this ok to use as cake flour please!
Thank you
Hi Suzanne – Doppio 0 or OO flour is milled more finely than all purpose flour but it still can vary in protein content. Higher protein flours are better for breads and lower ones for cakes. Check the protein and if it’s less than 12 percent you should be able to sub it for the all purpose. The words “pasticceria” and ‘soft” make me suspect that yours is low protein and will be fine. N x
As a follow up I’m in the uk for the colour I used Sugarflair red extra paste and added until I achieved the colour I wanted. For the Jubilee I’m making red white and blue cakes using this recipe
Thanks for that feedback Janine – very helpful as the red colour is hard to get right there I am led to believe! N x
Simply the best red velvet cake recipe I’ve used. I made 4 and stacked them ,used the pieces I cut off to make a crumb to decorate the sides. Made a beautiful engagement cake.
Post a pic on my Facebook page red velvet post so we can see!! That’s great Janine! N x
I made this today and it looks amazing. I’m in Australia and the red colouring is perfect. Personally I find it to taste too floury.
You have done it again!!! Always such beautifully explained recipes. Love it!
Quick question though would queens liquid red colour work? That’s the only liquid colour we get in New zealand. Alternatively I do have Chessmaster red gel colour too
Yes Hina I use Queen’s liquid here in Australia or you can use gel if you prefer. It is only in the UK where the liquid colouring turns it brown that I recommend the gel instead! N x
Hi Nagi, just made this cake today for hubby’s birthday, what’s the best way to store please? Thanks x
Hi Jessica- keep it in an airtight container either in the fridge or on the benchtop if it’s not too hot where you live! If you did the cream cheese frosting, it’s safest in the fridge! N x
Trying to make red velvet cake for the first time tomorrow and I’m so excited to try this! This might be a newbie question, but what is the best way to put the crumbs around the base of the cake?
Also, can I use three 6” cake pans to bake this recipe instead of 2-8” pans? I only have 6” pans.
Thank you!!
Hi Jaclyn – yes you can use 3 x 6 inch tins and if you watch the video you will see that I put the crumbs around the top edges of the cake for decoration. If you want to crumb the sides you can put the cake on a rack over a tray to catch any falling crumbs and gently press the crumbs into the side of the cake – there are lots of videos on youtube that show how to do this! N x
I could not get the cake done in 25 minutes. It was more like 45 minutes.
I am a professional baker and bake about 20 cakes a week. My oven is calibrated. I use 8 x 2 inch pans as the recipe calls for.
I use Americolor Super Red Gel food coloring and it produces a deep red cake.
A really good cake, just test for doneness before removing from the oven.
Can’t wait for the book and mostly the blog to resume!
Hi Nagi. Love your website and all your handy hints! Going to give this a go on the weekend. If sticking to the cup measurements what is your advice on the best way to measure the butter in cups? Scoop it? Spoon it in?
Was thinking of making this as a 4 tier cake so might make this x2 ASI think the layers might be too thin if I try and divide it into 4 pans? I’ll probably make them as 2 separate cakes rather than doubling the measurements into one (scared I will muck it up if I play around with the measurements). Can’t wait
Hi Illie – when measuring butter in cups, it helps to know that 1 stick of butter in the USA equals half a cup – you would not need to actually scoop it. If you are in Australia or Europe, a half cup of butter is 125 grams and butter is marked out on the package in 50 gram increments so you can cut the correct amount. And yes, it’s safest to make 2 separate batches if you need 4 tiers! Happy baking! N x
Made this yesterday for my son’s birthday. He told me it was the best cake I’d ever made. He’s 27 now…there have been a lot of cakes. Thank you!!
Awww Deb what a sweetie! N x
I made this last night and it was perfect! My new go-to red velvet recipe. Thank you!
Woohoo! Well done Lyndsay! N x
Made this as a wedding cake and it was a fail. I followed your instructions to the ml and ⁰C and the cake lost nearly all its colour (it went orange I used plenty of powder colour mixed to the products instructions and it’s never failed in any other cake I’ve baked) one cake was dry the other was under cooked. I used the full mix in one 8″ lined and greased spring cake pan/tin I tested it using a tooth pick to the base etc. I’ve been a baker over 12 years and I’ve had to use box mix which came out perfect with the same measures in volume of mix same temps and time cooking. Not sure what went wrong.
Hi Dee – I am sorry that you had a problem with it. I note that per your email, you are in the UK. Did you see my Note 7 under the recipe that in the UK you need to use gel colours only as the other colourings won’t work? Also since you were baking in one pan did you cover the top after 30 mins so it wouldn’t get too brown as per the notes? I hope that helps – N x
Hi Nagi!
I’m wondering what type of oil you recommend using in this cake? 🙂
Canola or vegetable oil are both fine here! N x
I’m so sad. I’m UK based and only took notice of note 7 AFTER I’d baked my cakes and was wondering why (despite a good dose of red food colouring) my cake came out like a murkey brown colour. I’ve made the ‘brown velvet’ for hubby’s birthday – hopefully obvious lack of the red colour doesn’t take away from the occasion 🙁
Hi CK — oh no! But Brown Velvet sounds like a 70s band! I am sure that it will still taste great despite the colour issue – happy birthday to your hubby!! N x
Hi Nagi,
Thank you for your response.
Hubby actually enjoyed the taste of his cake but I was just so bumbed by the colour that I could only express disappointment.
Hopefully with Gel food colouring this ‘Brown Velvet’ should hopefully transform into a beautiful ‘Red Velvet’ cake x
I’m also from the UK. I bought my colours from eBay. They are powder colours I also got a muddy orange cake. Not sure why as I’ve made plenty of other cakes and the colour has stayed perfect.
I made the red velvet cake and was very precise, as you suggested, sticking to weight measurements. I used Philadelphia Cream cheese. But somehow the icing/frosting wasn’t thick enough – I had to add quite a lot of extra icing sugar and it still remained rather thin. In the end, I placed the iced cake in the freezer which forced the frosting to harden. The cake was delicious, but still not sure why my icing didn’t thicken properly 😭
What country are you in Ian? And did you use the block or tub Philly? N x