A moist, classic Red Velvet Cake!! Made from scratch, and surprisingly easy when a few specific, simple steps are followed. This iconic cake has a soft “velvet” texture, just like what you get from the best top end fine bakeries, and is topped with soft, cream cheese frosting.
After Red Velvet Cupcakes? Here they are! UK readers: Please read note 7.
Red Velvet Cake recipe – tried and tested favourite!
This Red Velvet Cake has been taste tested and given a big thumbs up by many people because it’s a rather large cake and I’ve made it 5 times in the last two weeks.
“FIVE TIMES??!!”, I hear you exclaim (out loud or in your head). “You’re MAD!!”
If getting this cake exactly to my taste, as close as I can get it to the cakes you get from posh bakeries, and ensuring it works using both US and metric (i.e. rest of the world!!) measures means that I’m a mad baker, I’ll take that title. 😉
Besides, I’m really enjoying baking at the moment. There is something so satisfying about making something as pretty as Red Velvet Cake.
To tell you the honest truth, the reason I made it so many times in recent weeks is because my original recipe got a “so-so” response from the two toughest taste-testers I know: my mother and brother.
“The sponge is zara-zara”, my mother declared on first bite.
What the….?? Zara-zara? What on earth does that mean??
“Zara-zara” means “rough” in Japanese. The Japanese language has a handful of words which sound like what it means. “Zara-zara” being a perfect example. Usually it cracks me up. Not that day.
I gasped, indignant, and grabbed a spoon to shovel a bite into my mouth, ready to argue. And I realised – she was right. It was not as velvety as it could be. As it should be.
NOT HAPPY.
So I improved it. 🙂
What is Red Velvet Cake?
Red Velvet Cake is not just a chocolate cake with red food colouring added. This cake is softer than most, “velvet-like”, and the chocolate taste is actually quite mild. It’s more like a cross between a vanilla and chocolate cake with a very subtle tang from buttermilk. And it is generously smothered in a fluffy cream cheese frosting.
It’s wildly popular in America and there’s a cult following in Australia. Give it a few years, it will become a firm favourite soon!
The cake tastes buttery and moist, because it has butter in it for flavour, and oil for moisture. Yes, you need both, I promise you. It is not the same if you use only one of them.
Why should you use THIS Red Velvet Cake!
There are 3 more specific things about this recipe which might be a bit different to other Red Velvet recipes you have seen, but there’s a reason for it.
1. Cake flour – it’s a must! It’s key to achieving that soft silky sponge, just like what you get from posh bakeries. However, if you really can’t find it, please see the notes for a substitute;
2. Only 2 eggs – I’ve seen some recipes call for up to 5 eggs. I only use 2. It’s enough to hold the cake together just fine – any more than 2, and find the cake begins to start tasting “eggy”; and
3. Buttermilk – For almost every other baking recipe that I make using buttermilk, I say that you can substitute with lemon juice + milk which, when left for 5 minutes, curdles to have the same effect as using buttermilk. Not for this recipe – sorry! It is just not the same – part of the reason mine was “zara zara”. 😂
Oh, and one more rule. There is no substitute for Philadelphia Cream Cheese for the frosting. I’ve tried better value store-brand cream cheese before. It is never the same. Promise. ❤
I bake the layers in 2 separate tins, but if you don’t have two tins, you can make one big one and cut the cake in half. And to make the layers nice and neat, I cut the dome top off.
I like to crumble the off cuts and use it to decorate the cake. I think it looks pretty, don’t you? But that’s purely optional!
I promise you, there is nothing tricky about this cake. All you have to do is ensure you measure the ingredients properly, rather than just eye-balling it. 😉 As long as you do that, it’s actually easy to make, no more difficult than an ordinary sponge cake.
Putting aside fiddly fancy decorated cakes, Red Velvet Cake is surely one of the most striking and stunning cakes around. If you’ve never tried it before, you’re in for a real treat! – Nagi x
Red Velvet Cake
Watch how to make it
How to make Red Velvet Cake – quick tutorial video! Red Velvet Cake for UK readers – please ensure you read Notes 7 and 9.
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups (400 g) plain cake flour (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp (10 g) cocoa powder , unsweetened
- 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda / bi-carb soda , NOT baking powder (Note 2)
- Pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter , softened (1 US stick)
- 1 1/2 cups (330 g) caster / superfine white sugar (Note 3a)
- 2 eggs , at room temperature (around 2 oz / 60g each)
- 1 cup (250ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (or essence)
- 1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk , at room temperature (Note 4)
- 2 1/2 tbsp red food colouring liquid (UK: use Gel, Note 7)
Frosting (Note 10)
- 14 oz (400 g) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, block , softened but not too soft (UK see Note 9)
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter , softened (but not too soft)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups (450 g) soft icing sugar / powdered sugar sifted (Note 3b)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (all oven types). Butter 2 x 21cm / 8″ round cake pans (sides and base) and dust with cocoa powder.
- Sift the Dry Ingredients and whisk to combine in a bowl.
- Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with electric beater or in stand mixer until smooth and well combined (use paddle attachment if using stand mixer).
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating in between to combine. At first it will look curdle – keep beating until it’s smooth.
- Add vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla, buttermilk and red food colouring. Beat until combined and smooth (Note 5).
- Add Dry Ingredients. Beat until just combined – some small lumps is ok, that’s better than over mixing.
- Divide batter between cake pans. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes on the same shelf, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. (Note 6)
- Rest for 10 minutes in the pan then turn out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool.
Frosting
- Beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla for 3 minutes (this makes it really smooth and changes from yellow to almost white). Add icing sugar and beat for 2 minutes or until frosting is light and fluffy to your taste. If your frosting seems too runny (depends on quality of cream cheese/ if the cream cheese was too soft), just add more icing sugar.
Frost Cake
- Cut the top off the cake using a serrated knife (to make the layers neat).
- Spread one cake with 1 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with the other cake. Spread top and sides with remaining frosting.
- Optional: Crumble offcuts and use to decorate the top rim and base of the cake.
Recipe Notes:
Let them eat cake! 10 more classic cakes
.Life of Dozer
This is how he starts every day: assessing the surf. 😉
The cake tasted REALLY good, and it was really easy to make. I would totally make this everyday if I could
I made this for my daughter’s birthday cake and it was a massive hit. The cake is delicious, so moist, and the icing is just right, not too sweet. I am in the UK and used Tesco’s full fat soft cheese, I drained off the liquid and it was just right. I used plain flour, it worked very well. Thanks for a great recipe xx
Hello Nagi, thanks for the recipe. Can I substitute butter with margarine, will it work? Thank you!
Hi Fortune, it’s not quite the same here unfortunately & will affect the final texture! N x
This is certainly the best red velvet recipe EVER!!! I got so many compliments from it and even made the cupcake version… so delish!!!
Thank you so much. Please do post more dessert recipes. Love following so many of your videos. Everything ive made so far are all SOOO good!!
Wahoo, that’s so good to hear Lily!! Thanks so much 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi,
I was searching for a red velvet cake recipe that would suit the taste of Japanese people and I came across your recipe. I made it exactly as you instructed (except for the cream cheese, I used the cream cheese from Hokkaido) and it came out very good and my japanese friends loved it.
Excellent! So they all agreed it was totally NOT “zaru zaru”, as my mother claimed it was before I fixed it??? 😂
Hi Nagi, if I want to make this into a small 6 inch 3 layer cake then should I halve this recipe? Thanks so much for sharing this gorgeous looking recipe
Hi Faz, I would do one quantity of the recipe split over 3 pans here – Love to know how you go! N x
I just made this on Friday for my birthday (made my own cake as we’re stuck in Melbourne lockdown!). I’ve made quite a few red velvet cakes before and really loved this recipe! Hubby said it was “one of the best cakes he’s ever eaten”. Thanks Nagi.
Hi Nagi,
I live in Australia, can i use self raising flour instead of cake flour?
If i use self raising flour do i need to add baking soda?
Thanks
Hi Deduni – Woolworths and Coles sell cake flour. If you can’t get it, the sub is listed in the recipe notes. Self raising flour isn’t really suitable here though. N x
Sure. Thanks for the reply Nagi.
Hi Nagi , im from Malaysia. It is so hard to find Buttermilk in our store, but once in a blue moon i will see a Low fat Buttermilk instead 🙁 , do you think it will work for this recipe ?
Appreciate your guide ,thank you !
Hi Farain, you want the full fat here. If you can’t get it, just sub with 1 cup room temperature whole (not skim) milk + 1 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice. Let stand for 5 minutes until curdled, then use per recipe. N x
Ok will do , thank you for sharing and guiding me ,thanx so much !!
Hi Nagi,
I have perused hundreds of cooking blogs and used as many recipes from them, never feeling compelled to leave a comment … until now.
Your blog really is a cut above the rest … Easy to follow, the blend of Eastern and Western techniques and above all measurements in ‘Aussie’ for all of us ‘Down Under’.
I have made the Shokupan several times now and it always turns out perfectly. My kids love it!!!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Hi, how do I adjust the timings for a convection oven?
Hi Somya, convection is the same as fan – just cook as per the recipe as the temp is the same for all oven types. N x
My cakes have turned out quite flat – is that normal for this recipe?
Hi Hughsie – how tall are they? They shouldn’t be flat, do they resemble the height in my pictures? N x
Hello Nagi,
I am planning to bake this cake for my son’s bday and go as per your recipe.
Can I make it one day in advance and be kept in the fridge?I hope it wouldn’t impact much in terms of flavour and texture.
I love how you make food.It has soul to it.I just love going through your videos and recipes.n ofcourse Dozer.He is so beautiful.
Love,
Priscilla
Yes definitely Priscilla! I hope he has a great birthday!! N x
♥️
Thank you
The cake turned out gorgeous and delicious…the birthday boy and the rest were happy to take more than a second serving.
Thank you to YOU.
Hi Nagi, thanks for being so in depth with your recipe, its greatly appreciated. Im in need of a red velvet recipe for a decorated cake – does this recipe have a strong structure? Also, i only have gel food colouring given that liquid just isn’t the same, i live in Canada, should that be fine?
Hi Sarah, you can definitely decorate this cake and gel colouring is fine here. N x
Hi Nagi,
Is it ok if I bake this in a 9-inch round cake pan instead of 8-inch?
Hi Sarah, that’s fine – it will just be a shorter cake. N x
Hi Nagi,
Is it possible to use normal milk in this cake as my husband doesn’t like the taste of buttermilk?
Hi Leanne, yes – substitutes are listed in the recipe notes. N x
Hi Nagi, I made this cake and this came out super yummy and soft. My friends who tasted were over the moon with the deliciousness of this cake.
but I made 1 mistake, I put Gel food coloring ( 2 1/2 tbs) I’m in Australia. So after eaten red stain leaves in the tongue until wash it thoroughly many times. 🙁
So my question is if I use the liquid red food coloring ( Queens brand ) would I get the same color in the cake and also would there will be a stain in the tongue after eat ?
Also I have used self raising flour for this recipe just coles brand but the cake came out perfectly moist and tasty.
Oh dear I bought SR cake flour instead of plain !
I have normal Healthy Baker Plain flour should I use that Nagi?
Hi Nagi, could you tell me whether the 180 degrees is for fan forced or standard ? I think on other recipes there seem to be a clear distinction
Thank you
Oh dear I bought SR cake flour instead of plain !
I have normal Healthy Baker Plain flour should I use that Nagi?
Is the oven temperature 180 fan forced ?
Hi Jennifer – yes all oven types as mentioned in step 1 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi, I have tried your red velvet cake recipe and it turned out amazing.
Please share more cake recipes
Will this un iced cake keep well for 2 days? Should I keep in fridge or freeze?
Thanks so much