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
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Kia says
I made one tonight I used baking powder instead of baking soda it came out horrible it was running all out the pans I’m try it again tomorrow but with the baking soda
Nagi says
Hi Kia! Baking soda is 3 times the strength of baking powder 🙂 So unfortunately no, it would not work with baking powder. N x
Bunny says
Hi Nagi,
If you are putting a Cream Cheese Frosting on your Red Velvet Cake, it is not an authentic Red Velvet Cake. The original, authentic frosting is an Ermine Buttercream Frosting.
Try it sometime to taste the original cake.
Nagi says
Gosh that’s so interesting Bunny! I will look it up, thank you for the tip! N xx
Dawn Dixson says
Hi Nagi,
How do I keep the cake from falling apart when I stack them?
Nagi says
Gosh sorry to hear it fell apart! It sounds like maybe it was over baked so it was a bit dry?? Do you mean when you put the top layer on??
Margarita says
Hi Nagi!
I will try to make this cake tomorrow for my daughter’s birthday party.
I’m afraid I might have a tough time finding buttermilk. What can I use instead if milk+lemons since it is not recommended for this recipe? Also, I am thinking of using blended raspberries instead of artificial colourings for health problems. Will the acidity of raspberries work instead of lemmons?
Thank you in advance
Bunny says
To make buttermik, measure 1 scant cup of milk. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes.
You can also purchase a powdered buttermilk in the baking aisle. This is great to keep on hand since many of us need buttermilk for a specific recipe, and then it sits in the fridge until it spoils.
I’m a Pastry Chef so this never happens to me. I used tons of buttermik, especially in my Tropical Carrot Cakes.
Nagi says
Quite a few readers have tried the milk and lemon substitute and said it worked brilliantly! I haven’t tried raspberries, what an interesting idea, I must try it one day! N xx
Fefi says
My cake was too oily.
Nagi says
I’m sorry to hear that Fefi. At step 5, did you beat until it was a smooth batter and the oil was well incorporated??
Debbie says
Hi
I made this cake this evening. I’ve yet to try it as it’s a Birthday cake for my sister.
My problem was the frosting was very very runny. 400g Philadelphia and 450g of icing sugar is a very wet consistency. I’ve added a lot more icing sugar but still it’s funny!
I’ve called it the red velvet drizzle cake!
Any suggestions on what may have gone wrong?
Thanks!
Catherine says
Hi,
I find when I over beat cream cheese frosting it gets runny. Unlike over beating butter cream icing which just gets lighter and fluffier the longer you leave it. It might get better if refrigerated then beaten shortly again…but I haven’t been bothered too much yet to try that. I’ve made alot of CCF in the past and have had runny batches when I haven’t changed anything except think I’ve gotten side tracked and over beaten it…so that may have been the problem?
Goodluck next time!
Nagi says
Thank you for helping Debbie! I’ve honestly never come across that problem before! N x
Nagi says
Hi Debbie – it sounds to me like either your cream cheese or butter was melted instead of just softened? Both cream cheese and butter when softened have a soft spreadable consistency and are definitely not runny, so the frosting is fluffy like what you see in the photos, not drizzling consistency. Sorry to hear about your problem!
Patarina says
Hi! I will be making this cake tomorrow, I love how detailed you have written the recipe and the notes and conversions! Not many recipes offer that, and it’s very good help. Thank you! I will let you know now it goes ☺
Nagi says
I hope you love it Catarina! N xx
Nagi says
Hi Marion, I’m sorry you had trouble with this recipe. I have checked and my conversions ARE correct. I live in Australia and cups here are different to US cups and 1 cup of flour = 150g here so 2 2/3 cups is 400g. I have tested this recipe using US cups, Australia cups and weight measures and it worked out exactly the same each time. I’m sorry to hear you had problems – did you follow the recipe as it is without substitutions? I’ve had quite a number of readers from Europe who have made this and reported that it came out beautifully. N x
Sharon says
Hi Nagi,
Am so excited to try your recipe! I would like to make a 2 layer 10″ cake for my daughter’s 5th birthday. Would the proportions be ok for a 10″ if i double the recipe? And would i just make 2 batches of the frosting?
thanks!
Nagi says
Hi Sharon! If you hover your cursor over the Servings and move it to 12 (up from 10) that should be the right amount for a 10″ pan! That will also scale up the frosting too 🙂 Hope you love it – and happy birthday to your daughter! N xx
Amanda Oseuh says
Hi Nagi. Really love this recipe of yours but just wondering, is it compulsory to use red food colouring? Will using blue alter the flavour of the recipe? #cluelessbaker
Nagi says
Hi Amanda! The colour doesn’t alter the flavour at all, but the red colouring is the classic colour of red velvet cake! N x
Eelin Lim says
Hi, how much in grams is 4 cups of soft icing sugar for the frosting? Thanks
Nagi says
450g, updating the recipe too 🙂
Sara says
Hi Nagi,
If I want to make a 6″ cake, how to change weight of ingredients ? Thanks!
Nagi says
Move the slider down to 8 servings (hover curser over servings and move slider down until the 10 changes to 8 🙂
SARA says
Thanks for reply! So for example, cake flour is 320g, coco powder is 8g…? Sounds right?
Nagi says
I know they calculate to weird numbers / decimals etc 🙂 That’s just the way the scaler works. N x
SARA says
yes 😂😂😂😂
Sara says
nah, I’m in Australia. I bought red food coulouring liquid in woolies.
Nagi says
That’s exactly what I use. You definitely used the amount per recipe??
SARA says
I tried today! It’s so yum! Only problem is mine turns out not so red.. and a little wet in the middle ( definitely cooked) ?
Nagi says
Oh dear Sara! Are you by chance in the UK? I have notes in the recipe about food colouring in the UK. 🙂
Jessica Ellis says
How long could this cake be kept without frosting?
Nagi says
2 – 3 days in an airtight container, refrigerate if it’s very hot where you are 🙂 N x
Usha says
Hi Nagi
I have baked this cake before and the recipe called for hot coffee to be added which I did. I wld love to try ur recipe and wld u recommend coffee to be added. Thanks
Nagi says
Hi Usha! I would not add coffee to this, you add coffee to chocolate cakes when you want to bring out the chocolate flavour which is not the case here. Chocolate is a secondary flavour 🙂
Aine Hayes says
How many gms flour in recipe please ?
Nagi says
Hi Aine! I’ve updated the recipe 🙂
Massiel says
Hello from Switzerland 🙂 so I madr this cake yesterday and brought it to work today. I wasn’t sure because of the cheese frosting because I made a philadelphia cheesecake once and I thought it was horrible! This one actually tasted really good! I thought it would be too sweet but the cake itself isn’t so the frosting evens it out perfectly! Everyone loved it and it’s nice and spongey! I was so stuffed but I couldn’t stop eating! I added a little bit of lemon juice (freshly pressed of course) to the frosting so it would have a fresh taste 🙂 and I rrally appreciate the amount of grams you posted, helped me alot!
Nagi says
So pleased you enjoyed it Massiel! Thanks for letting me know! N xx❤️
Iris says
Good Evening Nagi, how many cupcakes will I make with this recipe? Thanks
Nagi says
Hi Iris! Another reader made them and said it made 14 🙂
Tyler C says
I’m an absolute novice at baking and I made this a few days ago. My oven wasn’t big enough for two cakes at once, so I baked them separately. The cake turned out AMAZING! SO good! Really moist cake with that rich distinctively red colour. I gave most of it away because a) I saw how much sugar and butter I used to make it, and b) it’s too good not to share. Nevertheless, I’m having TWO slices of it for supper right now and I just had to leave a comment to thank you for the recipe. Cheers!
Nagi says
I am always so pleased to hear from experienced bakers, I LOVE getting the feedback – good and bad. In this case, so pleased that you were happy with this! YES!!!
Vanessa Moreno says
I don’t have time to make the cake and frost all in the same day. Do you think making the cake one day and the next frosting it will be okay? Do you think I should fridge the cake in the mean time. I am an avid baker, however I haven’t made cakes all too often.
Nagi says
Hi Vanessa! Absolutely 🙂
Sherry says
Hi Nagi, I’ve made this red velvet cake and I absolutely love the texture and taste of this cake. I have been in search for easy fluffy and light vanilla cake that I can use under fondant! Could I convert this recipe into vanilla by omitting red colour and cocoa?
Thank you so much for your time:)
Nagi says
Hi Sherry! I haven’t tried that specific for this recipe, I’m sorry about that! I promise to share a classic vanilla recipe soon 🙂