Best Red Velvet Cake Recipe

I finally nailed the Best Red Velvet Cake and if you want a moist, tender crumb with tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting you should keep scrolling.

I’m obsessed with this Best Red Velvet Cake. I love how the crumb stays so tender and the tang from 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temp punches through the sugar.

The frosting with 8 ounces (225 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened is sweet and bright, not cloying. This Red Velvet Cake Recipe hits that stiff-sweet spot and looks like it took forever but didn’t.

I’ve made cakes that fall flat and this one doesn’t. But it isn’t precious or fussy.

It’s just rich red layers and creamy frosting that make you stop mid-bite. Seriously addictive.

No regrets, just crumbs.

Ingredients

• Flour: the cake’s structure, gives body and that tender crumb.
• Sugar: sweetens and helps the batter brown a little.
• Fine salt: balances sweetness, makes flavors pop without shouting.
• Cocoa powder: adds subtle chocolate notes, keeps true red velvet taste.
• Baking soda: lightens the cake, makes it soft and airy.
• Buttermilk: tangy moisture, keeps crumb tender and not dry.
• Vegetable oil: keeps cake moist and stays soft for days.
• Eggs: bind everything together, give lift and richness.
• Vanilla extract: rounds flavors, adds warm background sweetness.
• Red food coloring: the fun part — classic, vivid cake color.
• Distilled vinegar: reacts with baking soda for extra lightness.
• Batter butter: optional richness, makes crumb slightly more tender.
• Cream cheese: tangy, creamy frosting base you’ll want to lick.
• Frosting butter: silky body for the cream cheese frosting.
• Powdered sugar: sweetens frosting smoothly, gives that pipeable texture.
• Frosting vanilla: brightens frosting, keeps it from tasting flat.
• Frosting salt: just a pinch to tame the sweetness.
• Heavy cream: loosens frosting, makes it spreadable and glossy.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temp
• 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable oil or canola oil
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) red food coloring (liquid or gel, adjust for color)
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 4 ounces (115 g) unsalted butter, softened (for batter, optional if using all oil you can skip)
• 8 ounces (225 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened (for frosting)
• 8 ounces (225 g) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
• 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted (for frosting)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (for frosting)
• Pinch of fine salt (for frosting)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, as needed to thin frosting

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and line two 9 inch round cake pans with parchment, then grease the parchment. Lightly flour if you like. Let buttermilk, eggs, cream cheese and both butters come to room temp while you prep.

2. Whisk together 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon fine salt, 1 tablespoon Dutch process cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon baking soda in a big bowl so it’s evenly mixed.

3. In another bowl combine 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable or canola oil, 2 large room temp eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons red food coloring. If you want a richer cake add 4 ounces (115 g) softened unsalted butter here and beat until smooth, if not skip the butter and just whisk the oil mixture.

4. Pour the wet into the dry and stir gently until just combined. Don’t overmix, a few tiny lumps are fine. Overmixing makes the cake tough.

5. In a small cup stir 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar into the batter right before you bake and make sure the 1 teaspoon baking soda is well distributed in the dry mix so it reacts. The batter will fizz a little, that’s good — it gives lift. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans.

6. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, rotating halfway, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Ovens vary so start checking at 22 minutes. Let pans cool on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges and invert onto racks to cool completely.

7. Make the frosting: beat 8 ounces (225 g) softened full fat cream cheese with 8 ounces (225 g) softened unsalted butter until very smooth and lump free. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of fine salt.

8. With mixer on low add 4 cups (480 g) sifted powdered sugar a bit at a time until incorporated. If frosting is too thick add 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk to reach spreading consistency. If too soft chill 15 to 30 minutes then rewhip. Taste and adjust salt or vanilla.

9. Assemble: level cakes if needed, place one layer on a plate, smear a generous amount of frosting, top with second layer and crumb coat a thin layer of frosting. Chill 15 minutes then finish with a final smooth coat. Use an offset spatula for cleaner edges. Store covered in the fridge up to 4 days, bring to room temp before serving for best flavor.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350 F)
2. Two 9 inch round cake pans (plus parchment circles to line them)
3. Mixing bowls (one big for dry, one medium for wet)
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy whisk if you dont have one)
5. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale for grams
6. Rubber spatula and an offset spatula for spreading frosting
7. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for powdered sugar and cocoa
8. Cooling racks and a knife or bench scraper to level cakes
9. Small cup or spoon for mixing and adding the vinegar right before baking

FAQ

Best Red Velvet Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Buttermilk (1 cup) — Sub with 1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar, let sit 5 minutes until slightly curdled. Works the same for tang and acidity.
• Vegetable oil (1 cup) — Swap for 3/4 cup melted unsalted butter for richer flavor, or use 1 cup light-flavored olive oil if you want a more pantry-friendly option.
• Red food coloring (2 tbsp) — Use 1/3 to 1/2 cup cooked, pureed beet (reduce other liquid a little) or 2 teaspoons powdered beetroot for natural color. Color will be softer and slightly earthy.
• Cream cheese (8 oz) in frosting — Replace with 8 oz mascarpone for a milder, silkier frosting, or 8 oz full-fat Greek yogurt strained briefly for tang but a thinner result; chill before whipping.

Pro Tips

1) Bring everything to room temp and really mean it. Eggs, buttermilk, butter and cream cheese mix together way smoother and trap less air when they’re not cold, so your crumb is more even. If you’re short on time, put eggs in warm water for 5 minutes instead.

2) Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling it off or weigh it. Packed flour makes dense cakes. If your batter seems too thick, a splash more buttermilk helps more than extra mixing.

3) Don’t overmix once the wet and dry are combined. Stir just until you see no big streaks of flour. Overmix makes the cake gummy. A few tiny lumps are totally fine.

4) Add the vinegar right before baking and get the pans in the oven fast. The vinegar+baking soda reaction gives lift, so any delay can flatten the rise. Also, rotate pans halfway for even browning and start checking at 22 minutes.

5) Frosting texture matters. Beat cream cheese and butter until perfectly smooth before adding sugar. If the frosting is too thin, chill 15 to 30 minutes then rewhip. If it’s too stiff, add cream a teaspoon at a time. Chill briefly after the crumb coat for cleaner final edges.

Best Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Recipe by Tina Braven

0.0 from 0 votes

I finally nailed the Best Red Velvet Cake and if you want a moist, tender crumb with tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting you should keep scrolling.

Pin

Servings

12

servings

Calories

898

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350 F)
2. Two 9 inch round cake pans (plus parchment circles to line them)
3. Mixing bowls (one big for dry, one medium for wet)
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy whisk if you dont have one)
5. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale for grams
6. Rubber spatula and an offset spatula for spreading frosting
7. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for powdered sugar and cocoa
8. Cooling racks and a knife or bench scraper to level cakes
9. Small cup or spoon for mixing and adding the vinegar right before baking

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon fine salt

• 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temp

• 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable oil or canola oil

• 2 large eggs, room temp

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) red food coloring (liquid or gel, adjust for color)

• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

• 4 ounces (115 g) unsalted butter, softened (for batter, optional if using all oil you can skip)

• 8 ounces (225 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened (for frosting)

• 8 ounces (225 g) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)

• 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted (for frosting)

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (for frosting)

• Pinch of fine salt (for frosting)

• 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, as needed to thin frosting

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and line two 9 inch round cake pans with parchment, then grease the parchment. Lightly flour if you like. Let buttermilk, eggs, cream cheese and both butters come to room temp while you prep.
• Whisk together 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon fine salt, 1 tablespoon Dutch process cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon baking soda in a big bowl so it's evenly mixed.
• In another bowl combine 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable or canola oil, 2 large room temp eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons red food coloring. If you want a richer cake add 4 ounces (115 g) softened unsalted butter here and beat until smooth, if not skip the butter and just whisk the oil mixture.
• Pour the wet into the dry and stir gently until just combined. Don't overmix, a few tiny lumps are fine. Overmixing makes the cake tough.
• In a small cup stir 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar into the batter right before you bake and make sure the 1 teaspoon baking soda is well distributed in the dry mix so it reacts. The batter will fizz a little, that's good — it gives lift. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes, rotating halfway, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Ovens vary so start checking at 22 minutes. Let pans cool on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges and invert onto racks to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: beat 8 ounces (225 g) softened full fat cream cheese with 8 ounces (225 g) softened unsalted butter until very smooth and lump free. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of fine salt.
• With mixer on low add 4 cups (480 g) sifted powdered sugar a bit at a time until incorporated. If frosting is too thick add 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk to reach spreading consistency. If too soft chill 15 to 30 minutes then rewhip. Taste and adjust salt or vanilla.
• Assemble: level cakes if needed, place one layer on a plate, smear a generous amount of frosting, top with second layer and crumb coat a thin layer of frosting. Chill 15 minutes then finish with a final smooth coat. Use an offset spatula for cleaner edges. Store covered in the fridge up to 4 days, bring to room temp before serving for best flavor.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 185g
• Total number of serves: 12
• Calories: 898kcal
• Fat: 53.7g
• Saturated Fat: 19.9g
• Trans Fat: 0.33g
• Polyunsaturated: 5.1g
• Monounsaturated: 11.4g
• Cholesterol: 112mg
• Sodium: 382mg
• Potassium: 92mg
• Carbohydrates: 86.8g
• Fiber: 0.9g
• Sugar: 66.5g
• Protein: 5.4g
• Vitamin A: 750IU
• Vitamin C: 0mg
• Calcium: 52mg
• Iron: 1.3mg