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This Red Velvet Cake is the perfect blend of elegance and comfort, ready to be your new favorite dessert. The moist, velvety layers paired with creamy, tangy frosting will have everyone reaching for seconds.
The Best Red Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
This Red Velvet Cake is the epitome of elegance and comfort combined. Its vibrant red color and rich cocoa flavor make it a standout dessert for any occasion. Paired with the smoothest cream cheese frosting, every bite is a deliciously memorable experience.
Making this cake is simpler than you think. With easy-to-find ingredients and straightforward steps, you’ll have a showstopper ready in no time. Whether it’s for a special celebration or just because, this cake is sure to impress and satisfy everyone at the table.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For The Cake
- Flour: I recommend using all-purpose flour. You can substitute with cake flour for a lighter, more tender crumb.
- Cocoa powder: Adds rich chocolate flavor. Use Dutch-processed cocoa for a deeper color and taste.
- Baking soda: Helps the cake rise.
- Salt: Enhances all flavors.
- Unsalted butter: Adds moisture and richness. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps create a tender crumb.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add moisture.
- Buttermilk: Reacts with baking soda for a tender texture. Substitute with regular milk mixed with lemon juice or vinegar if you don’t have any buttermilk..
- Vanilla extract: Adds a warm, sweet flavor.
- Red food coloring (preferably gel): Provides the iconic red color. Gel food coloring is more vibrant and requires less to achieve the desired shade.
- White vinegar: Enhances the red color and reacts with baking soda for leavening.
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese: Provides a tangy and creamy base for the frosting. I like using Philadelphia cream cheese.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps achieve a smooth texture. Salted butter works too.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting. It’s the same as icing sugar or confectioners’ sugar.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a warm, sweet flavor to the frosting.
Making this Red Velvet Cake is straightforward and rewarding. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have a stunning cake ready in no time.
Preheat And Prep
First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans to ensure the cakes come out easily.
Mix The Dry Ingredients
Next, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside for later.
Cream The Butter And Sugar
Then, in a large bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer.
Add The Eggs And Wet Ingredients
After that, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then mix in the vanilla extract, red food coloring, and vinegar.
Combine Mixtures
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
Bake The Cakes
Now, divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Make The Frosting
While the cakes are cooling, in a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until the frosting is creamy and smooth.
Assemble The Cake
Once the cakes are completely cool, trim the tops if they are domed. Place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread a layer of frosting over the top. Next, top with the second cake layer and frost the top and sides with the remaining cream cheese frosting. Finally, slice and serve the cake at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this Red Velvet Cake ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the cake layers ahead of time. Simply bake and cool the layers, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to a month. Frost the cake the day you plan to serve it for the best texture and taste.
What can I use instead of buttermilk?
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can easily make a substitute. Combine 1 cup of regular milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before using it in the recipe.
How do I prevent my cake from being too dry?
To ensure your cake stays moist, be careful not to overmix the batter once you add the flour mixture. Also, keep a close eye on the baking time, and test for doneness with a toothpick. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, your cake is ready.
What type of food coloring should I use?
For the most vibrant color, I recommend using gel food coloring. It’s more concentrated than liquid food coloring, so you need less of it to achieve the rich red hue.
Expert Tips
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Let butter, eggs, and cream cheese come to room temperature for a smoother batter and frosting.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off to avoid adding too much, which can make the cake dense.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined to keep the cake light and fluffy.
- Cool Completely Before Frosting: Allow the cake layers to fully cool to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Trim Cake Layers: Trim the tops of the cake layers if they are domed for an even, professional-looking cake.
Storage
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days. If you want to keep it longer, you can freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil for up to a month.
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Red Velvet Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Cake
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring preferably gel
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup of butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.Mix in vanilla extract, food coloring, and vinegar. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 1 cup butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Once the cakes are completely cool, trim the tops if they are domed. Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a layer of frosting over the top. Top with the second cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream cheese frosting.
- Slice and serve the cake at room temperature.
Tips & Notes:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Let butter, eggs, and cream cheese come to room temperature for a smoother batter and frosting.
- Cake Flour Option: Use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour for a lighter, more tender crumb.
- Buttermilk Substitute: Make your own buttermilk by mixing 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
- Storage: Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze slices for up to a month if needed.
