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.
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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. 😉
Huh9999 says
Burnt! 🙁
kept two 7″ pans together in small rotating oven at 160•C(convention mode) kept for 50 mins. Was little underdone. Kept 6 more mins.burnt!
Superb recipe. Stil soft and moist in the inside!
Nagi says
I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work for you, the problem is the oven you used. I use a normal kitchen oven – 30 minutes at most!!
Kate says
Thanks for a great recipe. Made it last night and it worked really well. I used about a teaspoon and a half of gel colouring. I also used equal quantities of cream cheese and butter for the icing (my family doesn’t like it too cream cheesy). Everyone enjoyed it.
Nagi says
That’s so wonderful to hear!! Thanks for letting me know Kate – N x ❤️
Saffie says
Hi Nagi, the cake looks perfect but I have a question, I want to use the recipe to make two large cakes for a 3D skull cake I’m making for Halloween. I wanted to check, do you think the cake is strong enough to be take a fondant icing ? I will be using a special tin so no sculpting will be necessary but I will need to sandwich the two cakes together and then cover in fondant. Would be so grateful if you could let me know!
Thankyou!
Laura says
Hi ive just made this recipe and its sunk in the middle 🙁 any idea what i might have done wrong please?
Ena says
Hi Nagi,
• How do figure out what size pan to use (20cm or 26cm)?
• Can you explain how you choose which pan (round/retangular) to use?
• I’m the only who eats cake here. How do I adapt the measurements for cakes for 2 person (cake for 2 days)
Chance says
Hello Nagi,
First, I would like to say that I have searched (for many weeks now) for a red velvet cake recipe that suits my particular needs. Most of the ones I came across were either too simplistic (box cake mix and add an extra ingredient or two), or unnecessarily complicated (leavening dough and/or boiling flour for icing). Yours seems to hit that sweet spot right in the middle, as far as level-of-effort is concerned. Plus, your enthusiasm and passion for your creation has won me over, and made me feel like you likely have a winner on your hands.
Having said that, I have not made the cake yet. I plan on going to the store to get the ingredients so that I may try it tomorrow afternoon. I am writing about possible modification.
Although I do love red velvet cake, I don’t love an overpoweringly-strong taste of cream cheese. I like the cream cheese taste, but I’d rather have just a hint of the flavor in my icing, as opposed to cream cheese being the main flavor. so that brings me to the ‘icing’ part of your recipe. I am concerned about the cream cheese-to-butter ratio (400g to 115g). That’s something like a 3.5 to 1 ratio. In prior recipes I’ve used, I’ve found that my taste preferences fall more in line with a 1-to-1 ratio, or maybe even something where there’s slightly more butter than cream cheese (maybe 60/40 in favor of butter). I know that you did a lot of experimenting before you published your ‘final’ recipe on this site. Did any of your previous iterations include icing that has a different ratio of butter to cream cheese? If so, I would appreciate your findings. If NOT, then I would consider doing a 50-50 split myself. So then the question becomes… do you think the different ratio will have an effect on the amount of powdered sugar needed to achieve the right consistency?
Rifat says
Hi Nagi, recipe looks good and with the comments I’m going to try it BUT I need to make a bigger cake for around 49 people. What would you suggest? Should I double the recipe because I’m going to use a 12″ pan and bake twice ? Please let me know as I need to bake this for next week!
Nagi says
Hi Rifat! It’s best to make multiple cakes, I would make 4 of these 🙂 N xx
Monica says
Hi Nagi, I’m from India. I tried this recipe and it turned out to be just about perfect & irresistible 😃 Thanks for sharing this recipe. Infact, the manner in which you have explained every step carefully is quite commendable. It reflects your passion for baking. Love your website..all the best!! 😊👍
Nagi says
That’s so terrific Monica! I’m so pleased to hear that, thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤️
Niki says
Can margarine be substituted for butter?
Nagi says
I’m sorry Niki, I don’t recommend it for this one. Not sure how it will hold up 🙂 N x
Dee says
Hi…I have tried this recipe to the letter and it worked a treat. Everyone who tasted the cake commented on how moist it was.
Thanks for sharing!
Nagi says
That’s so terrific Dee! I’m so pleased to hear that, thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤️
Teresa says
Thanks for sharing your recipe – I’m needing to sculpt a cake (football helmet) would this recipe be dense enough to hold up to carving?
Nagi says
Hi Teresa, I’m sorry I think it’s a bit to delicate for that. Red Velvet Cake is supposed to be tender and velvety 🙂 N xx
Teresa says
Thank you for the quick response. I’ll use your recipe for special “real red velvet cake” for those who can truly appreciate it. I’m excited to try it. Thank you again for sharing!!!!
Janet says
Hi Nagi, how many teaspoons are you using to a tablespoon. US has three tsp per tbls and Australia has 4 tsp per tbls. Also how many mls per cup? Regards
Nagi says
Hi Janet! Actually the standard Australia tablespoon is 3 teaspoons 🙂 I use Australia measures, this recipe will work using Australia or US cups / teaspoons, I have tested it with both because this is quite a popular recipe on my site and I have lots of readers from both Australia and the US! N x
Cindy says
Hi…Can I replace red colouring with red yeast?? and what is the measurement? Thanks 🙂
Nagi says
I’m sorry Cindy, no it can’t 🙂 N x
M says says
Greetings
Made this cake today. This cake and frosting taste great! The only problem is I followed the instructions but after the cake cooled it crumbled and was falling apart. Any suggestions of what I did wrong?
Thanks
Nagi says
Hi M, I’m sorry to hear that. Did you definitely use the right number of eggs?? Egg is key for keeping cakes together! N x
Bea says
Hi thanks for this great recipe. I have made this cake 3 times now. I followed your recipe step by step.
Nagi says
That’s so terrific Bea! Thanks for letting me know! N xx ❤️
Deana says
I’m wanting to use this recipe to make cupcakes. What would I need to change? Thanks!! Made it as directed and my cousin-workers loved it. Thanks again.
Nagi says
Hi Deana! I think it makes around 14 from memory, bake for 20 minutes 🙂 N x
Deana says
Sorry!! I meant “co-workers”😬
SirEdge says
Greetings from rural Japan, I’m teaching English here, and I’ve been craving for Red Velvet. Currently choosing over which recipe to try, but you might have had me at “zara-zara” – finally, someone who knows what I’m looking for. By that I mean, not zara-zara.
Nagi says
BA HA HA!!! I literally burst out into laughter when I read this – because I know YOU truly understand!!! 😂
Gloria says
What speed do you beat the batter on once the flour is added? And do you add it all at once or a little at a time? Thanks for your help!
Nagi says
Hi Gloria! All at once, start slow so the flour doesn’t fly everywhere then go up to 4 or 5 speed 🙂
Nagi says
Hi Sanna! Yellow frosting? Gosh that’s odd, did you measure the butter properly??
Sanna says
Yes, I did. It was more yellowish than proper yellow, like the colour of butter. It says in your recipe that the colour should change to white, but mine didn’t 😮
Nagi says
Hi Sanna! Was the butter very yellow? Typically, “good” butters are a light yellow, some really good ones are almost white 🙂 N x
Ali says
Hi Nagi,
Today I took part in a bake off to raise for Macmillan Cancer Support. I followed your recipe to the letter & won the bake off!
Thank you for the recipe! Everyone loved it!
Ali
Nagi says
OMG I love hearing that Ali, you ROCK! N x