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. 😉
Great recipe! I used less sugar in the frosting, like more of a cream cheese flavor. As she said, it might be runnier so I cooled it and it spread fine. Kept the cake cool until served, it was amazing! <3
I absolutely love this recipe! It is tender and moist..key components in any cake. One question.. can I make this into a swiss roll? Or would I have to sub the butter for more oil?
Hi Anita…sorry I haven’t tested that. N x
This cake is absolutely amazing, so glad I’ve finally found a good red velvet recipe. However an important note for UK- I made the mistake of buying super market cream cheese thinking it would be okay however they carry a lot more water than Philadelphia despite being the same texture!! Definitely worth buying the real thing
Hi Charlotte, you’re 100% correct – I mention this in the notes too 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi
I love this recipe and the cake turned out well. I am wondering though about the cocoa dusted pans. Is it an essential step and what is the benefit of it. Love your website.
It keeps the cake from sticking without leaving white streaks on the edges like flour would! N x
Hi just wondering is it 180 degrees FANBAKE or just standard without fan? (i know, such a noob question).
That’s for all ovens! N x
Hi, I’m wondering if this recipe can be used under fondant cakes
I really love this, and I’ve already made it twice! Could I bake this in a 9×13 pan? What adjustments would I need to make? Thank you!
Hi Nagi!
Do we add the cocoa to the mixing bowl? It’s listed in the Dry ingredients, but you also say to dust the buttered tin with it. In the video I see it’s in the Dry ingredients so I’m going with that but thought it can’t help to check with you.
Mixing mine now, so looking forward to the result. Thanks!
Hi Carly, yes in step 2 when it says to sift the dry ingredients, you’ll be sifting all the dry ingredients listed. N x
this recipe bangs, tasted better than I expected
I seldom make cakes, but during Melbourne lockdown found it hard to order one for my daughter’s 21st birthday. Red Velvet is her favourite cake, so I decided to bake one using this recipe. I was so nervous but the results were amazing. I did exactly what the recipe said and it came out perfectly. I decorated with fresh flowers and it was beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. It was a treat to devour during this lockdown celebration where we had to celebrate at home with no guests. My daughter loved it and felt very special, and now wants me to make one every year! Thank you. X
I seldom make cakes, but during Melbourne lockdown found it hard to order one for my daughter’s 21st birthday. Red Velvet is her favourite cake, so I decided to bake one using this recipe. I was so nervous but the results were amazing. I did exactly what the recipe said and it came out perfectly. I decorated with fresh flowers and it was beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. It was a treat to devour during this lockdown celebration where we had to celebrate at home with no guests. My daughter loved it and felt very special, and now wants me to make one every year! Thank you. X
hi Nagi, I was just wondering if I could use buttercream icing instead of the cream cheese icing?
Sure! Buttercream would taste lovely with this. N x
I would love to make this but with beetroot instead of the red food colouring, is this possible?
It is, although I haven’t tried just yet so I’m not sure of the amounts sorry Debbie! N x
Hi nagi pls in my country there is no buttermilk pls what’s the substitute for buttermilk?
Mentioned milk and lemon juice in the beginning introduction
Another sub is 50:50 Greek yogurt:whole milk. Works well in pancakes which use baking soda so may also work out here.
Hi, Please could you give me a natural alternative for the artificial food colouring.
Kindly help me with the exact measurements for redvelvet cupcakes. 🙏
Hi Mwazida, it’s all listed there in this recipe for you https://www.recipetineats.com/red-velvet-cupcakes/ 🙂 N x
Ok, wow! This red velvet cake is so good! I’m a baker and have tried several red velvet cake recipes trying to find the one. And I finally found it! It’s moist, the crumb is so light and perfect, and the flavor is so good!! Use a scale, and I promise this cake will be perfect and loved by all!
This is the best recipe I have come across since I have been out of the US. I make red velvet often (its one of my favourites) and this is the 1st time the outcome has been perfect. I am not exaggerating when I say this cake came out perfect.
Made this yesterday and divided between 2 pans, 6 cup Heritage bundt and Charlotte pan. Looked great using your tip of crumbs on top and tasted sensational. Will definitely make again.
Hi Nagi,
Love this recipe, totally yum 😋
I need to make this into a large cake. Could I make this in a quarter sheet pan & would I need to scale up the recipe? Thanks so much for sharing
Hi Ruth, how big is the pan you’re wanting to use? N x
Hi Nagi,
The pan size is 9 x 13 thanks so much for responding 😊
Hey Nagi, what measurements would I use for a round 4″ tin? Just half ?