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This easy red velvet cake recipe is soft, moist, and flavorful with hints of cocoa and buttermilk. It’s a classic! I make this cake in a single layer so it’s approachable to any home baker, and frost it with the most velvety-smooth cream cheese frosting. Made 100% from scratch!
Craving more easy chocolate cake recipes? You might also love this easy chocolate cherry cake and chocolate mug cake. I also have a flourless chocolate cake that’s extra fudgy!
HAPPY January, friends! Can you believe another month has flown by? January is extra special in my house. It’s my birthday month! 🎉 I turned 25 (again 😜) and celebrated with my little family in sunny Mexico. There was sun, laughter, and SO. Much. Cake. Let’s just say it was everything a birthday should be. Now, onto this incredible red velvet cake! Red velvet is one of my favorite cake recipes, with its pretty red color and rich, buttery goodness in every bite. I’ll show you how to make it the easy way!
What Makes This Red Velvet Cake So Special
- A hint of cocoa. Red velvet cake is mostly a vanilla cake with a hint of cocoa powder for that mild chocolatey vibe.
- Tangy buttermilk. Buttermilk does a few things in a red velvet cake recipe. It makes this cake super flavorful, light, and fluffy. But maybe most importantly, the acidity reacts with the cocoa powder, giving a traditional red velvet cake its signature red hue. More on this in a minute!
- The best cream cheese frosting. Let’s be honest—the crown jewel here is the cream cheese frosting. Thick, creamy, and perfectly sweet, it’s the finishing touch that takes red velvet to a whole new level of deliciousness.
- Single layer. I see so many versions of this cake that are two or three layers. I decided to make mine one layer for convenience and simplicity’s sake. However, if you’re looking for a more traditional layered look, it’s easy to double the ingredients and bake in two cake pans.
What Actually Is Red Velvet Cake?
What is red velvet, anyway? Is it chocolate cake? Vanilla cake? Just a butter cake with a fancy red makeover? In fact, the flavor and color of red velvet cake comes down to a reaction between the natural cocoa powder and acidic ingredients, like buttermilk. This reaction gives the cake a reddish tinge, rich flavor, and a super-soft texture, thus the name “red velvet”.
Here’s What You’ll Need
This classic red velvet cake recipe comes together with a mix of specific ingredients that make it rich, moist, and perfectly flavored. Below, I’ve outlined the key ones you’ll need for the cake and frosting. Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements and details!
Cake Ingredients
- Cake Flour – Creates a tender crumb. If you don’t have cake flour, substitute with all-purpose flour, but sift it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch per cup to mimic cake flour.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar works best for even sweetness, but superfine sugar can be used for a slightly finer texture.
- Baking Powder – Essential for lift. Be sure your baking powder is fresh for the best results.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – The traditional cocoa powder for red velvet cake is natural, non-alkalized cocoa powder.
- Egg Whites – These are key for a smooth and light crumb.
- Red Food Coloring – Liquid food coloring works fine, but gel food coloring is more concentrated and creates a deeper red without thinning the batter.
- Vanilla Extract – You could swap vanilla with almond extract for a nutty twist.
- Vegetable Oil and Butter – Keeps the cake moist and tender, while unsalted butter adds richness and flavor. Canola oil, olive oil, or melted coconut oil can be used as substitutes.
- Buttermilk – Adds tanginess and moisture. You can make your own homemade buttermilk substitute by mixing 1 scant cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice.
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese – Fat-free works for a lighter option, but full-fat cream cheese gives a richer flavor and a creamier frosting.
- Unsalted Butter – Butter helps the frosting hold its shape better, making it easier to spread or pipe.
- Superfine Sugar – Or powdered sugar. Granulated sugar can be used, but may need extra beating to dissolve completely.
- Vanilla Extract – Swap for maple syrup or a hint of lemon zest for a unique flavor twist.
Can I Use Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder?
Yes, you can use Dutch-process cocoa powder in this red velvet cake recipe. Unlike natural cocoa powder, it won’t give the cake a naturally reddish-brown color, since Dutch-process cocoa has been treated to neutralize the cocoa’s acidity. However, we’re adding red food coloring to enhance the color of this cake anyway.
Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. Make sure the egg whites, butter, and cream cheese are at room temperature. This ensures smooth mixing, prevents the batter from curdling, and helps everything bake evenly. Cold ingredients can lead to uneven textures and lumpy frosting.
- Line the pans to avoid sticking. Line with parchment and grease the bottom and sides thoroughly. It makes clean-up easier and helps with sticking.
- Adjust the coloring. Adjust food coloring to your preference—more for vibrant red, less for a subtle hue.
- For a firmer frosting, chill it for 10 minutes before spreading.
- Get a headstart on the cake. Both the cake and frosting can be prepared a day ahead. Assemble just before serving for freshness. See the How to Store section below for more storage and freezing tips.
Ways to Decorate Red Velvet Cake
While cream cheese frosting is a classic choice for a red velvet cake recipe, don’t hesitate to experiment with other delicious options! Maple frosting adds a warm, cozy flavor, chocolate frosting brings a rich decadence, and whipped vanilla frosting offers a light and fluffy touch.
Garnish with fresh raspberries, chocolate shavings, and red currants for a stunning finish. Afterward, be sure to refrigerate the red velvet cake for a couple of hours before serving.
Can I Make a Layer Cake Instead?
Yes! To turn this into a stunning layer cake, simply double the cake ingredients and bake the batter in two 9-inch cake pans. You may need to adapt the baking time slightly if you’re baking two cakes at the same time. Be sure to double the cream cheese frosting as well, so you’ll have enough to frost between the layers and cover the outside of the cake. It creates an impressive, tall red velvet cake that’s perfect for special occasions!
How To Store
- Refrigerate the frosted cake. If you’ve frosted the cake, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring it to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
- For an unfrosted cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate it for up to a week.
- Freeze. You can also freeze unfrosted cake layers. Wrap them in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting.
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Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons red food coloring
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons superfine sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE TOP
- fresh raspberries
- chocolate shavings
- fresh red currants
Instructions
FOR THE CAKE
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper, and spray the pan with baking spray; set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.
- Beat the eggs with food coloring. In a separate bowl, combine egg whites, food coloring, and vanilla; whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Using your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the oil and butter; continue to mix for about 1 minute, or until smooth and creamy.
- Combine to make the batter. Set the speed to "low" and gradually add in the flour mixture. Add the buttermilk and continue to mix on low until just combined. Increase speed to medium and continue to mix for another minute or two, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times.
- Make it red. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the colored egg mixture in two parts, beating between each addition for 30 seconds. At this point, you can also add one more drop of food color if you feel that your batter isn't quite the red that you want, and continue to mix until all is combined.
- Fill the pan and bake. Pour the batter into the previously prepared cake pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out the cake on a wire rack and let it completely cool before frosting.
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Mix the frosting. Combine the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla extract in your mixer's bowl and beat until creamy and smooth.
- Frost the cake. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake, using an offset spatula. You can also reserve about 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup of the frosting, place it in a piping bag, and decorate/garnish the cake to your liking.
- Decorate and chill the cake. Continue to garnish the cake with raspberries, chocolate shavings, and currants. Place the red velvet cake in the fridge for a couple of hours before cutting and serving.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Hi! this looks so so so delicious as is, but I am wondering do you think I can make this as cupcakes?
This is so pretty! I love the cream cheese frosting and all that gorgeous fruit on top.