Red velvet cake is much more than vanilla cake tinted red. This recipe produces the best red velvet cake with superior buttery, vanilla, and cocoa flavors, as well as a delicious tang from buttermilk. My trick is to whip the egg whites, which guarantees a smooth velvet crumb.
This is my forever favorite red velvet cake recipe. I published it on my blog a few years ago and decided it’s time for clearer recipe instructions and a video tutorial. Many of you love this recipe too, so let’s roll up our sleeves and rev up our mixers!
Red velvet cake is the queen of all layer cakes. The “I can’t quite put my finger on the flavor” cake. It’s the sweet marriage of buttermilk and vanilla with a little cocoa for good measure. She’s tall, dramatic, and completely covered in silky cream cheese frosting. This is my best red velvet cake.
What Does Red Velvet Cake Taste Like?
I used to be unsure about red velvet. I don’t really trust a cake that has a mystery flavor. What is red velvet? Is it more like vanilla cake, chocolate cake, or just a butter cake tinted red? From red velvet brownies and red velvet cookies and red velvet cupcakes, I’ve had a lot of fun getting to know red velvet. Red velvet is:
- Mild cocoa flavor
- Tangy buttermilk
- Sweet vanilla
- Very buttery
These 4 flavors are essential to the perfect red velvet layer cake. Not only is the flavor outstanding, red velvet cake’s texture is worth writing home about. It’s dense and soft with a moist and velvety crumb. However, the absolute best part about red velvet cake is the cream cheese frosting. Slathered on thick, my cream cheese frosting recipe is delicately sweet and undeniably creamy.
How to Make Red Velvet Cake
I use specific ingredients, certain amounts, and unique mixing techniques to produce my best red velvet cake recipe. Begin by whisking the dry ingredients together, then beat together the wet ingredients. We’ll combine the two, add buttermilk and tint the batter red. More on food coloring below.
- Cake Flour: I highly recommend cake flour. Cake flour is much lighter than all-purpose and the perfect base for a light, soft-crumbed cake texture. Like I mention above, red velvet’s texture is important to the authenticity of the flavor. You will thank me for the recommendation after you taste how incredibly soft this cake is. It’s the texture you find at professional bakeries.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: 2 Tablespoons is plenty for a little cocoa flavor without overpowering the vanilla and butter flavors.
- Butter & Oil: What sets red velvet cake apart from chocolate is its buttery flavor. With only butter, we risk a dry cake. With only oil, we lose the butter flavor and softness that comes with creaming butter & sugar together. So all that’s to say, use both butter and oil. Moist texture, soft and cakey texture, buttery flavor.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is tangy, creamy, and makes baked goods extremely moist. You can’t make delicious red velvet cake without it! Additionally, buttermilk helps activate the baking soda to leaven the cake. If you’re interested, I have plenty more on this topic in my Baking with Buttermilk post (including a DIY buttermilk substitute recipe). It’s also a key ingredient in these black velvet cupcakes!
What About the Food Coloring?
Red velvet cake wouldn’t be red without food coloring. I recommend gel food coloring because the color is concentrated, so you need less of it. For natural coloring, use beet powder. If you don’t want to use food coloring, leave it out! The cake will have the same flavor and be a lovely shade of cocoa.
My #1 Trick
I add one simple step to this red velvet cake recipe and it guarantees the BEST texture.
Whip the egg whites separately, then fold into the batter.
This cake recipe requires 4 large eggs. Separate the eggs before starting. Beat the egg yolks with the wet ingredients, then beat the egg whites into fluffy peaks and fold them in last. Beating the egg whites incorporates air and promises a velvet-rich texture.
You will never go back.
Red Velvet Cake Video Tutorial
Cream Cheese Frosting
In my opinion, cream cheese frosting pairs best with red velvet’s flavor and this frosting recipe is really simple. You need brick-style cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to offset the sweetness. It glides on seamlessly and is silky smooth. If you’re looking to pipe decoration with this cream cheese frosting, chill it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. This guarantees the creamy frosting will hold its shape.
Of course, feel free to use traditional vanilla buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream here if you prefer. Or try white chocolate buttercream frosting!
This recipe converts red velvet skeptics. I should know because I used to be one!
Interested in turning this red velvet beauty into a tiered wedding cake? See my homemade wedding cake for details.
More Classic Cake Recipes
- Vanilla Cake
- Banana Cake
- Pumpkin Cake
- Chocolate Cake
- Strawberry Cake
- Lemon Cake
- German Chocolate Cake
Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Red velvet cake is much more than vanilla cake tinted red. This recipe produces the best red velvet cake with superior buttery, vanilla, and cocoa flavors, as well as a delicious tang from buttermilk. My trick is to whip the egg whites, which guarantees a smooth velvet crumb.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 Tablespoons (10g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs, room temperature and separated
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- liquid or gel red food coloring
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces (452g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 5 cups (600g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the oil, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and vinegar and beat on high for 2 minutes. (Set the egg whites aside.) Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 2-3 additions alternating with the buttermilk. Beat in your desired amount of food coloring just until combined. I use 1-2 teaspoons gel food coloring.
- In a separate medium bowl, vigorously whisk or beat the 4 egg whites on high speed until fluffy peaks form as pictured above, about 3 minutes. Gently fold into cake batter. The batter will be silky and slightly thick.
- Divide batter between cake pans. Bake for 30-32 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when gently touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the cakes need a little longer as determined by wet crumbs on the toothpick, bake for longer. However, careful not to overbake as the cakes may dry out. Remove cakes from the oven and cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes until completely combined and creamy. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or an extra pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. Frosting should be soft, but not runny.
- Assemble and frost: Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard or crumble over finished cake. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I always use an icing spatula and bench scraper for the frosting. I used Wilton piping tip #12 for decoration around the top.
- Refrigerate cake for at least 30-60 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days. Frosted cake or unfrosted cake layers can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating/serving.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared then covered and refrigerated overnight. Let the frosting sit at room temperature to slightly soften for 10 minutes before assembling and frosting.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Red Gel Food Coloring or Beet Powder | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack | Cake Stand, Serving Plate, or Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Bench Scraper | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton Piping Tip #12 | Cake Carrier (for storing cake)
- Cake Flour: For best texture and taste, I strongly recommend cake flour. You can find it in the baking aisle and I have many more recipes using it. If you can’t get your hands on cake flour, you can make a DIY cake flour substitute.
- Vinegar: The vinegar helps brighten the red color. Don’t get scared, a touch of vinegar is normal in red velvet desserts! You can’t taste it.
- Why is everything at room temperature? When everything is near the same temperature, they mix together easily, evenly, and produce a uniform texture. It’s important!
- Food Coloring: The amount of red food coloring is up to you. I tested with varying amounts. To get the dark red color you see here, use 2 teaspoons of gel food coloring. You could use liquid food coloring too, but gel food coloring is more potent. You’ll need at least 1 Tablespoon of liquid. Dye the batter until you are pleased with the color. Use beet powder for a natural alternative (mix 1/2 teaspoon beet powder with 2 teaspoons of water before adding) or leave the food coloring out completely.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is a key ingredient and flavor in this recipe. You can use low fat or full fat. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own buttermilk substitute. To do so, add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Add enough regular milk (whole milk is best) to make 1 cup. Stir the two together, then let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
- Sheet Cake: This batter fits nicely into a 9×13-inch cake pan or 12×17-inch sheet pan. Same oven temperature. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or 20-25 minutes, respectively. Keep your eye on the cake and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
- 3 Layer Cake: Prepare 3 9-inch cake pans in step 1 and divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for about 22-25 minutes.
- Bundt Cake: This cake batter fits into a 10-cup or larger bundt pan. I’m unsure of the exact bake time (likely around an hour), but use a toothpick to test for doneness. Same oven temperature.
- Cupcakes: You can use this cake batter for 2-3 dozen cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners 1/2 – 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-21 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes spring back when gently touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Use my red velvet cupcakes recipe if you need fewer.
Recipe originally published on Sally’s Baking Recipes in 2015.
Need something smaller? Here are my red velvet cupcakes!
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally! If i were to make this recipe into cupcakes, what changes should i make?
See recipe Notes!
If i just wanted to make a 7inch instead of a 9inch, how would i adjust the recipe?
Hi Ck, our Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions post will be helpful to adjust your recipe for 7 inch pans. Hope it’s a hit!
Absolutely loved this recipe! First time making a two-layer cake and it turned out perfectly! I noticed in some of the comments they indicated their batter was too runny. I wonder if some
did not whip their egg whites long enough. I used the mixer again for the egg whites and then folded them in. Next time I make it, I think what I will do is the beat the egg whites first and then fold them in at the end. I made this into a Christmas Holiday Cake for our church seniors
by frosting three miniature ice cream cones green and decorating each one with sprinkles. I tapped a tiny bit of powdered sugar over them and put them on top of the cake. Thank you again!
Hi Sally! Once again your recipe won’t disappoint. I just had a slightly problem getting the cake red ahah I used liquid colouring, more than 1 Tablespoon and still ended up completely brown ahah do you have tips for this? I know is gel colouring but I couldn’t find in the supermarkets near me.
Thank you
Hi Daniela, we strongly recommend gel food coloring for this, because you have to use a LOT of liquid red food coloring to get the cake to look more red than brown. If you aren’t able to find gel food coloring at the store or order it online, I would recommend just leaving it out altogether–the cake won’t be red, but it will still taste exactly like a red velvet cake!
Is it OK to use Dutch processed cocoa powder? I know that it makes a difference in cake batter so I’m not sure which to use. Thanks.
Hi Mardee, you need unsweetened natural cocoa powder for this cake, not Dutch. If you’re interested in learning about why, we have a post on the difference between Dutch-processed and natural cocoa powder here.
Can this recipe be made in a Bundt cake Pan?
Hi Penny, definitely! See recipe notes for Bundt Cake instructions.
HI Sally-I can’t believe I am out of vinegar. What will happen if I leave it out? Should I use lemon juice instead? (Or go run to the grocery store?)
Hi Renee, the vinegar helps brighten the red color. It should turn out fine, the color might just be a little less bright.
Hey Sally! I used to bake red velvet for family gatherings before red velvet became a fad years ago lol I had a recipe that was my go to, but I lost my baking binder when I moved. I started baking this recipe that I got online Around 2009 or 2010. I want to say so badly it was from your website, but I am not sure. Can you please tell me if you modified your recipe away from liquid red velvet. Years ago if this is the recipe I used it called for one or 2 ounces of red liquid food coloring!? please help I super Look forward to some of these amazing recipes i have been browsing on your site. Thank you for all you do!
Hi Paula, the recipe you see here is the recipe I originally published in 2014! It sounds like yours is something different.
I made this for my fiancès birthday and I don’t think I could ever go back to box mix! Super easy to follow, and didn’t take too much time.
Thank you for this recipe! Can I use caster sugar instead of granulated?
Hi Kirsty, caster sugar should work well here. Let us know if you give it a try!
Hello, I love this recipe. Haven’t tasted the cake yet, because it’s still in the oven, but the batter was AMAZING! The only thing was that you have to take all the batter out of the mixer and then mix the egg whites. Since the bowl still had a little bit of the batter,, the egg whites didn’t fluff up. And apparently egg whites won’t fluff up if has any fat with it.
Have you ever tried Red Velvet in a swiss roll format for holidays?
Hi Jessica, here is our red velvet cake roll recipe—let us know if you try it!
Does this recipe make 1 sheet pan cake ? (9×13?) or 2? Can we double this recipe
Hi Giuliana, this batter makes one sheet cake as detailed in the recipe Notes. We recommend making separate batches instead of doubling.
I made this into a Bundt cake and added 1/2 cup semisweet mini morsels and a 1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks. I used the directions that were in the notes. It ended up slightly dry. Not sure where I went wrong. I checked it after 45 mins. but, it was still wet on the toothpick test. Left it in for 10 more came back clean. Let it cool for 10 mins in Bundt pan then flipped it and cooled on a wire rack. I used the cream cheese frosting recipe but only added 2 cups sugar i and it tasted great. I love her recipes but, I don’t know if adding the chocolate chips changed it or if I over cooked by a few.
Can I use kosher salt instead of table salt? Do I need to adjust the amount?
Hi Kathy! Generally you need about twice as much Kosher salt as table salt, but we haven’t tested that in this cake.
I have a a mini Bundt pan and I would love to use it to make this cake. Any adjustments needed to make it into 12 mini Bundt cakes?
Hi Nancy! We’re unsure of the quantity of batter needed, or the bake time. Let us know what you try and how it goes!
Thank you so much! I’m 22 and I’ve never made a (successful) cake before but I really wanted to bake my boyfriend a birthday cake. This turned out beautifully and the frosting is absolutely delicious. You are the best
Hi Sally, can I use just half of the ingredients to make a single layer of the cake?
Hi Daniela, that should work just fine. Enjoy!
Hi!! I’m making a 4 tier wedding cake next weekend and the bride has asked for the entire cake to be Red Velvet with black icing and red roses. Do you think this texture will hold up well for stacking? I’ve never made an entire wedding cake with Red Velvet, only as a bottom tier. Thank you so much!
Hi Candy, yes it should be with proper support! See our Simple Homemade Wedding Cake for how to stack and support tiers.
Hi Sally! Can I also freeze the red velvet cake before frosting?
Hi Virginia, absolutely. Here’s everything you need to know about how to freeze cakes.
How about in the fridge? How long can I store red velvet cake in the fridge before frosting?
Hi Virginia, we’d recommend no longer than a day or 2.
Hi Sally, I’m making my first ever red velvet cake, and I have an espresso balsamic vinegar that I’d like to try. From what I’ve researched, using a vinegar other than distilled white vinegar won’t alter the flavor profile too much, but what are your thoughts? I use the espresso balsamic vinegar in my vegan chocolate cake recipe but add a tad bit more to really taste that flavor, yum.
Hi Jaime, we haven’t tried that, but it would likely change the flavor. Let us know how it turns out if you do.
Hi Sally, I’m really looking forward to making this at the weekend for a friends birthday! It’s really hard for me to find white vinegar around here but I do have apple cider vinegar- do you think that would be okay?
Hi Panitsa, apple cider vinegar works in a pinch.
Hi Sally. I want to make this recipe but in a single layer using 1 10inch round pan. I have read through your pan conversion post which is very helpful – thank you! I think that the batter (6-7 cups) will fit in the 10-11cup 10inch pan. But I am wondering if I need to adjust the temp or cooking time. Thank you
Hi Beth, make sure to only fill your pan half way, and then you can use any leftover batter for a few cupcakes on the side. Same temperature, but baking time will be a bit longer. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, so keep a close eye on it and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Hi Sally, did you really mean 1 *Table*spoon pure vanilla extract or shouldn’t it rather be one *Tea*spoon. Thanks so much, Vinz
Hi Vinz, it is 1 Tablespoon, not teaspoon. It’s a big cake with a lot of batter and you want a decent amount of vanilla flavor in each slice.
Can I use this recipe as is to make cake pops?
Hi Kelly, yes, you can use this cake to make cake pops. We’re unsure of the exact amount of frosting you’ll need—you want *just* enough to help moisten the crumbs. Enjoy!
Hey sally. I dont have cocoa powder. Would hot chocolate mix work? (Swiss miss)
Hi Alejandra, no, we don’t recommend it. Hot chocolate mix has added ingredients and won’t act in the same way as cocoa powder. Best to wait until you have cocoa powder on hand!
I am no a baker but thought I’d give this a try. Oh boy! My family went wild for it. I followed the directions to a T. The most moist flavorful, cream cheesy cake ever. It’s going in my repeat cookbooK. Thanks Sally!
Love this cake, it’s my go-to, as are other recipes you have 🙂
I do find it quite sweet though, have you ever tried to reduce the sugar quantity and if so would it affect the structure of the cake? For the frosting I used 140g sugar and it was plenty – I simply couldn’t imagine what 600g must be like. I do live in Europe though, so maybe we don’t have the same tolerance
Hi Daniel, we’re so glad you enjoy this cake! While you can certainly try reducing the sugar in the cake, keep in mind that it plays an important role in the taste, texture, and structure of the cake, so the results may vary. We’d start small and then adjust for future batches.
Hi! We don’t have that type of flour in the uk so I have plain flour and cornstarch like your cupcake recipe, how much of each would I use in this recipe if I used them instead?
Hi Lucy, you can use our cake flour substitute conversion guide to yield the 3 cups needed for this recipe. Enjoy!
I’ve been making red velvet cake for 45 years with a recipe using vegetable shortening. I’m looking forward to trying your recipe using butter and oil. I really wish you would post an Ermine Frosting recipe rather than cream cheese frosting. Ermine was the original frosting for red velvet cake and is so much better. My personal opinion is that cream cheese frosting overpowers the delicate flavor of a red velvet cake. I love cream cheese frosting with stronger flavored cakes like carrot cake. Like I said, this is just my preference. I really think this Red Velvet recipe will become my go to recipe!
My mom makes amazing red velvet cake and has always used the Ermine Frosting as well. It’s so good. I agree, I love cream cheese frosting on other cakes, but for red velvet, I gotta have the Ermine Frosting!!
My husban’s new favorite!!!! (France)