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
Can I use dutch processed cocoa powder for this recipe?
Hi Ari, 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.
Absolutely delicious! I have made this as red velvet and also as black velvet. They get rave reviews everytime!
Could this recipe be used for mini bundt cakes, and what baking time would you recommend?
Hi Carmen, we’re sure it could be. It would make quite a few. You can reference this mini bundt cakes recipe for baking instructions.
Can I get 3 8″ layers from this recipe or is that not recommended? What would the baking time be?
Hi Kirsten, you can make this cake a three layer cake with 8 or 9 inch pans. See recipe Notes for details!
Love this recipe!! I’ve had a birthday request to add mini chocolate chips to the cake, what are your thoughts or do you have any tips in doing so?
Hi Valerie, you can definitely add some mini chocolate chips to the cake. We recommend tossing them with a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter, to help prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cakes. Hope it turns out well!
There is a step of adding the mixture from step 3 before you fold in the egg whites. This recipe is great regardless. I love your recipes and tips. You are amazing and my high school students appreciate them all. I baker for them on final exam days.
Can you recommend a sour cream version for this cake? (You do this for your Triple Chocolate Layer Cake and it’s my favorite version). Thank you!
Hi Rebecca, we haven’t tested this with sour cream because buttermilk is a key ingredient in classic red velvet cake. Sorry we can’t be of more help!
This cake has such a wonderful flavor and is light air airy. It is my usual go-to red velvet recipe. Question, is there a way to make this cake red without red dye? (Aside from natural based food colorings)
Hi Lauryn, some readers have used beet/beetroot powder in this recipe instead of food coloring. It’s best to mix the beet powder with a little water first. This combination makes 1 teaspoon of food coloring, but you may want more since this is a lot of cake batter: 1/4 teaspoon red beet powder per 1 teaspoon cold water. Keep in mind that it won’t be as red; some readers have said their cakes come out more brown. But it’s really all about how good the cake tastes, right?!
Do you have to do the egg whites separately? And what happens if you do not?
Hi Janaki, beating the egg whites incorporates air and promises a velvet-rich texture.
Any tips on how to properly level off the cake? And how much time should it cook before doing that? I’d love to make this for my sisters birthday. Thank you!
Hi Deb, the baking time for the cake layers is about 30-32 minutes. They need to cool completely before you level them. You can use a serrated knife to slice off a thin layer of the domed top of each cake layer to make a flat surface.
Excited to try this. If I only have one tin of the right size, can I keep the batter at room temp until one is cooked and cooled, or does it need to be cooked quickly after being finished? Thanks in advance
Hi Jemima, it’s best to bake batter right away (or as soon as possible), because once the wet and dry ingredients are combined the leaveners are activated. Hope this helps!
Can I use low fat cream cheese for the frosting?
Hi Joanne! Low fat cream cheese is too thin for frosting, it would be too runny.
Greetings,
I have my birthday coming up soon and I would love to make this recipe. However, where I live cake flour isn’t available countrywide and therefore, is there any substitution that I can make, such as soft wheat flour or ap flour? If so, should I make some adjustments to the quantity?
Hi Stam! Here’s our guide to making your own cake flour substitute at home.
This is a great cake recipe. I do have a frosting suggestion though for anyone who loves cream cheese frosting as much as I do. If you cream the butter and cream cheese together (as all recipes instruct) you’ll end up with small pieces of cream cheese. they never seem to cream perfectly. However, if you make the frosting as if it were simple powdered sugar frosting and add the room temperature cream cheese as the last ingredient (in small amounts like a tablespoon) it creams perfectly
This recipe sounds delicious and I can’t try to make it! Would this recipe work in three 6 inch pans? If so, how long would they need to bake, and would the frosting be strong enough to support a 3 layer cake? Thanks!
Hi Esti, we’d recommend using our red velvet cupcakes recipe instead. It makes the perfect amount of batter for a 3 layer, 6 inch cake.
Hi Sally! Thank you so much for your recipes! I’m a huge fan of your vanilla cake recipes. What do you recommend for 3 layer, 4 inch pans?
Hi Mimi! We don’t bake 4 inch cakes often. We usually reach for our 6 inch cake pans when making a small cake, so we’re unsure how much batter you would need. We would start with our vanilla cupcakes batter, but you may have too much. You can always make a few cupcakes with the extra batter. And here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes.
My husband doesn’t like sweets, doesn’t like cake, doesn’t like chocolate, but he said he loves this cake and it’s his favorite he’s ever had. He said he wants it for his birthday cake. Just wow.
Made this cake and icing for my dad’s birthday recently – everyone loved it and seconds happened!! Thanks for another great recipe! Question: I am making a sculpted cake for my grandson’s 6th birthday. Sculpting cake is new to me so I am going to use a cake mix and focus on the sculpting/decorating. How do I make a box cake mix dense enough for sculpting and still taste good? Tips greatly appreciated 🙂
I can’t find the red velvet cake made with bakers chocolate not cocoa
Hi Linda, our recipe calls for cocoa powder. Could you be thinking of a different recipe? Let us know if you try this one!
This was so delicious! I always follow Sally’s recipe exactly and this was another hit. I made it the day before a party and everyone loved it!! The hint of cocoa was super yummy.
I love your detailed instructions and every one of your recipes I’ve tried so far has turned out great, so thank you! I’ll be trying this recipe over the weekend and will be making 4, 6 inch cakes…should I could increase the ingredients by 50% (or any other ratio), please?
P.s. I can’t wait to get my hands on your new book!
Hi Daniela, this is plenty of batter (As written) for 4 single layer 6-inch cakes. Not need to increase the volume!
This recipe is wonderful! I would like to know if it is freezeable?
Hi Pamela, absolutely. Here’s everything you need to know about how to freeze cakes.
My son and I made this together. Very delicious! He is a beginner baker and he thought the instructions were easy to follow.
I love this recipe. The cake was very moist and fluffy. I will bake this cake again with this recipe.
I have a quick question. Why do you not use baking powder in this recipe?
Hi Tina, We are using acidic ingredients in this cake so we do in fact need to use baking soda. If you are interested in learning more about the difference you can check out this post in my Baking Basics series explaining the difference between baking powder vs baking soda.
I love this recipe! However I do wish that you made it clearer in the instructions how many ingredients need to be at room temperature. It would help to put that at the very top just before turning on the oven and greasing the baking pans. As it is I wasted an hour after sifting the dry ingredients to wait for the others to come to room temperature.
I love your red velvet cake recipe it’s the best
I have made many of your recipes and love them all! Now I am trying to combine 2 things into one as per my kids request. I am hoping we can use this red velvet cake recipe to turn into cake pops. I’m just wondering based on the other cake pop recipes and getting the right amount of cake and frosting combination if I should do anything special for these to turn out well? Can I use the cream cheese frosting or should I use the vanilla one from the cake pop recipe? Hopefully you have some guidance or tips on this one. Thanks!
Hi Kaila! You can use this cake and cream cheese frosting 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!
Prefect thank you! We will be trying it this weekend and will see how they turn out then!
Hi Sally! I have tried your chocolate cake and fudgy brownie recipes and they came out so well. Now I wish to try this red velvet cake recipe using natural colour. Could u please suggest if I should use roasted or boiled beets before making a puree out of them? And how much should be the puree quantity?
Hi Padmaja, We have had readers use beet powder, but not roasted or boiled beets. We’re unsure of the best amount of beet powder to use to get this exact color, but use enough until you are pleased with the color of the batter. I hope this helps a bit!
You could try replacing some of the oil with puréed beets that have been roasted and then puréed. I tried beet root powder, but messed up ratio, so my cake was not the pretty red, but it tastes good. I also gave it brush with chocolate simple syrup (lots of recipes out there).
Thank you Sally’s Baking for this lovely recipe!
I made this and it is perfection. I’m always amazed when I make your recipes. Thank you for sharing with us. Love from Jamaica
So glad to read this, Charmaine! Happy baking.
I live in Denver and I always have trouble with my cakes and cupcakes falling. Any tips on making this cake at high altitude? Thanks!
Hi Emily, I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
I can’t wait to try this recipe, but would it hold up well as a layered red velvet cheesecake?
Hi Danielle! We haven’t tested layering this cake with cheesecake, but would love to hear how it goes if you do. Sounds like an incredible combination!