This is my favorite Red Velvet Cake recipe! This cake is incredibly soft, moist, buttery, and topped with an easy cream cheese frosting.
Over the last few months, I’ve shared my favorite chocolate cake and white cake recipes with you. And today I have one more that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day – this homemade red velvet cake recipe!
Red velvet is such a unique cake because it has a vanilla flavor but also a hint of chocolate. It can also be hard to get just right because it should be buttery, yet stay moist. This recipe delivers all of that and it’s incredibly delicious too!
I’m also sharing everything you need to know on how to perfect this cake. Including how to make a 9×13 cake or cupcakes and some step-by-step pictures to help you along the way!
How To Make This Red Velvet Cake
To make this red velvet cake, you’ll start by whisking together your dry ingredients: cake flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. I suggest using cake flour because it has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour which creates a softer, lighter cake. When it comes to cake flour, two of my favorite brands are Pillsbury Softasilk and Swans Down.
There’s also 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder in this cake so the cake isn’t super chocolatey, but it has a hint of chocolate that is expected in red velvet cakes. Once you’ve whisked together the dry ingredients I suggest sifting them as well to remove any lumps of cocoa powder and help keep the cake light.
Then, mix up the wet ingredients starting with some unsalted butter and granulated sugar. I suggest creaming the butter and sugar together for about 4-5 minutes. Why? Creaming the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy incorporates more air into your cake batter creating a softer, lighter cake.
Once the butter and sugar are creamed together, you’ll beat in two eggs until well combined. Then mix in the rest of the wet ingredients: some oil, red food coloring, vanilla extract, and distilled white vinegar. The oil helps to keep the cake incredibly moist, so I use a combination of butter and oil in this cake.
Once you’ve mixed up the wet ingredients, you’ll alternate mixing the dry ingredients in three additions with some buttermilk. Alternating the dry ingredients with the buttermilk helps to prevent overmixing the cake batter which can lead to a denser cake. If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can make your own using my homemade buttermilk substitute.
Once the cake batter is mixed up it will be a beautiful bright red color like the picture above. Then, just divide the batter between two 9-inch cake pans and bake them for about 30 minutes. If you want to make it easier to get the cake layers out of your pans I suggest using parchment paper. I use these parchment liners from Wilton and LOVE them, they’re perfect for this recipe too!
Once the cake layers are baked and cooled, you’ll mix up the frosting. I used my favorite cream cheese frosting for this cake and increased the amount to have enough to frost it. If you want to try another frosting my vanilla buttercream frosting would be delicious too!
Then, just level your cakes and frost it however you like. I used the Wilton 1M piping tip for the swirls on top of this cake.
Baking Tips For Red Velvet Cake
- Be sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature before getting starting.
- Make sure to sift the dry ingredients to remove any lumps of cocoa powder. This will also help to keep the cake soft and light.
- I suggest creaming the butter and sugar together for about 4-5 minutes. Creaming the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy incorporates more air into your cake batter creating a softer, lighter cake.
- Alternate mixing the dry ingredients in three additions with the buttermilk, this will help to prevent over mixing the cake batter.
Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients
For the red velvet cake:
- 2 and 2/3 cups (295 grams) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 cup (22 grams) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 1 (1-ounce) bottle liquid red food color
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 and 1/3 cups (320 ml) buttermilk room temperature
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 12 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup (175 grams) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the red velvet cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray two 9-inch cake pans well with nonstick cooking spray, line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Then sift the dry ingredients to remove any lumps of cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed for 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until fully combined, then mix in the oil, red food color, vanilla extract, and vinegar stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Make sure to mix each addition until just combined and be careful not to over mix the batter.
- Evenly distribute the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans and spread the batter around into one even layer. Tap the pans on the counter 2-3 times to remove any air bubbles from the cakes.
- Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Carefully remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool in the pans for 15-20 minutes. Then, carefully remove the cakes from the cake pans and place on the wire rack to cool completely.
To make the cream cheese frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and mix for about 30 seconds-1 minute until well combined and smooth.
- Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
To assemble the cake:
- Level the tops of each cake with a knife or cake leveler. Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand or plate, top with a layer of frosting, and smooth it out into one even layer. Place the second layer on top, then use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake.
I have a question about using gel food coloring which is not supposed to leave an after taste. Have you ever tried it before in cake? Would I still need the vinegar, assuming you are using it to offset the red food coloring? Thanks.
Hi, Shelly! I haven’t used it in this cake, but I do think that it would be just fine. You would definitely need to use less if you use gel food coloring though. I would still suggest using the vinegar as it’s one of the ingredients that reacts with the baking soda and helps the cake rise.
Hi Danielle: Your cake looks awesome; however, I am not a fan of food coloring due to known health issues associated with food coloring. If I omit the red food coloring, I assume the cake would still taste awesome. Would it be more of a light chocolate cake in coloring? Since the red dye doesn’t add flavor, then why use it just to have a pretty colored cake. Can’t wait to try your wonderful recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Hi, Barbara! You can omit the red food coloring. I imagine the cake would be a light brown/chocolate color, but it would still taste just fine 🙂
I don’t really know how this recipe would taste, but I don’t have the vinegar. So those are my questions. What does the vinegar do to the cake? Can I just not put vinegar in the cake?
It enhances the color and is one of the ingredients that react with the baking soda to help the cake fully rise. I would suggest using it in this recipe.
Apparently, a truly natural red velvet cake contains beetroot juice instead of food colouring. It does turn out a richer maroon type red but tastes gorgeous too.
hi maam. i always bake red velvet however i cannot perfect the top part. mine always get crusty at the top. so i always end with me removing the top part and just cover it with the frosting. can u help me? why does my cake bake like that always? thankssss
There are quite a few things that could cause that to happen. One would be that the oven temperature is too high, have you checked your oven temperature with an oven thermometer? Another reason could be that there’s too much sugar in the recipe, you could try reducing it slightly and see if that helps. You can also place a baking pan filled with some water on the bottom rack of your oven, the moisture should help prevent that from happening. That being said, I’ve never had any issues with the top of this cake turning out hard it stays pretty soft.
Hi Daniella, I am a big fan. With this recipe, can I use three 8 inch cake pan for the same amount of batter? thanks
I think that should be fine!
I made it and it was super delicious, soft and velvety.. everyone in the family said it’s the best red velvet ever.. loads of love to you for sharing such a wonderful recipe ❤️
So happy to hear that!
When I was mixing the dry ingredients with the soft my batter turned into like a dough. I didn’t know what I did wrong, I was very confused.
This batter shouldn’t be thick like dough. Did you make sure to add the buttermilk?
Did you weigh your dry ingredients? Sometimes this is due to too much dry ingredients. (I used to have this happen a lot before I learned to go by weight when converting recipes to gluten-free).
Needed something special for my Mother’s birthday and this came in just the nick of time! Went down an absolute treat! Thank you for sharing your recipe – it was simple to follow and super quick to get in the oven – I was time pressured and had it in the oven within half an hour, then left it baking in the oven while I got onto other things! Like making the icing and showering, packing car with cake decorating utensils, candles etc! The cake was out of the oven in just under an hour. And we were out the door in haste! It cooled in the in the car while we were out to dinner, and I managed to decorate it and blow out candles as a finale to a wonderful evening. Thank you for the no-fuss, guaranteed recipe!! The Birthday Girl loved every bite! What an afternnon – phew!! xox
So happy to hear that, Sharon!
My oven does not do specific 177°c as suggested, is it better to go slightly higher or lower in degrees? Also, I want to double the recipe and put it in one large rectangular tin to make a birthday cake, so would I just double the baking time to the suggested time on the recipe? Thanks!
Does it have an option for 180°C? If so, you can set it to that. It shouldn’t affect the bake time too much. This recipe is enough for a 9×13 pan. Are you wanting to bake it in a larger pan?
I am making this cake tonight for an event tomorrow afternoon. Can I bake and decorate cake tonight and leave outside at room temperature?
Since it has a cream cheese frosting, you will want to refrigerate it overnight. You can set it out a little bit ahead of time so that it can come to room temperature though.
Hi. I am Ciara I tried your recipe and it was amazing . Super moist and the frosting came out a little sweet but I had a little mishap while baking. I am an aspiring baker and always tried doing things by an exact recipient . Well I cooked at 350 for 45 min and it still wasn’t done do you have any tips. But sill came out amazing do you know how I could fix that time.🍰
Hi, Ciara! Did you use two 9-inch cake pans or a different pan to bake the cake?
I used a glass 9×13
Ok, did it take quite a bit longer? If so, it could be that your oven temperature is off. You can test your oven with an oven thermometer and recalibrate it.
Hi Danielle, this cake looks delicious and I’d like to make it for a friend’s birthday but I’m wondering if it’s sturdy enough to cover with fondant? Thanks!
Hi, Susan! I don’t work with fondant much so I’m honestly not sure. This cake is pretty soft and light, so it may not be the best option if you’re looking for something sturdier.
I am now on a gluten free diet but love red velvet cake… Can I just substitute the cake flour with gluten free self-raising flour instead?
It may be okay to use a gluten-free flour that substitutes well 1:1 for all-purpose flour. I wouldn’t suggest using self-rising flour since it already has baking powder and salt mixed into it.
This was a big hit for my family! Thank you for sharing the recipe! The cake was really chocolatey and moist and the cream cheese frosting wasn’t overly sweet. Thanks again!
I need to make 10” and 8”round cake can I use your recipe! Can you give me any advice on how to make this cake perfect
I haven’t tried it in those pans, but it would probably be fine. Just make sure to read through the post, baking tips, and recipe before getting started. I also have some pictures in my chocolate cake recipe showing how I frost a cake. Hope that helps!
I made this tonight – my first red velvet cake and it was great! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
So glad to hear that, Emily!
Hello Danielle,
I haven’t made a red velvet cake before. I’m making this cake for a July 4th celebration but I need to make a 1/2 sheet layer cake. Will one recipe be enough for one layer in a 1/2 sheet pan? And how long should I bake it at 350? Any suggestions about how to get a second layer on without breaking it?
Thanks so much. Looking forward to making this cake.
Hi Barbara! To be honest, I haven’t converted this to a half sheet pan so I’m not quite sure. If it’s not too deep, then it may be enough for one. As for getting a second layer on top, I suggest freezing it for 45 minutes to an hour or until it’s firm. That will make it much easier to handle without breaking it.
Hi, I wanted to make this recipe in 7inch tins instead (odd size, I know but I don’t have 8inch tins and wanted to make it taller than the 9inch shown). Would you suggest 2 x 7inch tins or 3 x 7inch tins? Thanks 🙂
Hi, Daniela! I would probably use three 7-inch tins. If you have any leftover batter, you can use that to make cupcakes.
Thanks so much! 🙂
I’ve been reading a lot about the differences in dutch processed vs natural cocoa powders. I notice this recipe calls for natural cocoa powder and I was wondering what is the best brand of natural cocoa powder to use in this recipe?
I really like Nestle Toll House Baking Cocoa!
if I make my own buttermilk using vinegar. do I still use vinegar in the recipe?
Yes, you’ll still want to use the vinegar called for in the recipe too.
Delicious, tender and moist, beautiful cake…I didn’t have cake flour so I used regular all-purpose flour and measured it carefully and the cake came out so lovely in flavor and texture. Also doubled the recipe and it still worked out really well although my mixer was quite full… this was because I was in a hurry and needed a few cakes so I just winged it and it worked. Sometimes I’m lucky, other times not so much😁I didn’t use as much red food coloring because I had only enough for one batch and the color was still great. Also made my own buttermilk with vinegar and added the vinegar as well and it well and it worked out.Thank u for
the recipe…. I rarely ever write reviews but I was pleasantly surprised at creating what I view as the perfect version of a red velvet cake.
So glad the cake turned out great for you, Melissa!
The recipe is perfect! Moist tender bright with the perfect chocolate not chocolate taste. Delicious! My only concern is the cake was so soft when I flipped it out of the pan it broke, sigh. I decided to forgo the layer cake and make a 9×13 version like I usually do.
Sorry to hear that, Keisha! You can let them cool completely in the pan if you need to before removing them. Another good way to remove them is to place a cooling rack on top of the cake pan, then hold the pan and cooling rack, and just flip it right over. It also helps to spray your pans well and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Glad you liked the recipe though!