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.
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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. 😉
Made this for mummy and baby playgroup, they loved it!!! Even the babies had some lol Used the cake flour sub, can’t find it in UK. I used Dr oetker gel food colouring extra red, two tubes, 15g each and it came out nicely. Not as bright red as nagi’s photo but it didn’t look brown. Still a nice shade of red. 250g of UK Philadelphia was spot on, I only used half the icing sugar for the frosting bec it’s too sweet for me and the frosting still came out good. Happy mummies and babies here! Thank you so much!
And you’ve learnt this Mumma! SO happy it was enjoyed ❤️
Thumbs up from this chef! Cracking recipe, light fluffy and rather moorish. Helpful notes too. Time to rip my old red velvet cake recipe out of my book!
WOOT! What a great compliment Dan! N x
I’m a pretty keen baker and have some great cake recipes. This however, is by far my absolute favourite! The cake was light and fluffy with a subtle flavour. Perfectly balanced with the icing. Thank you so much for the recipe, video and notes (I ended up substituting the cake flour with flour and cornflour). I’ll be making this one again and again! 🙂
Thanks so much Jody – I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Looks great. I cannot taste it yet. It’s for Sunday. But it was so easy to follow your recipe. You are amazing Nagi, cooking is so much easier with your recipes. Thank you 😊
Oh that’s so lovely Allison, thanks so much ❤️
Any notes on the calories/nutritional information in this cake? It looks lovely and can’t wait to make it.
Hi Nagi – Will I be OK using a hand mixer? I don’t have one of those beautiful Kenwoods though I’d love one!
Yes definitely Laura! Enjoy!
i discovered your website 2 years ago when my daughter asked for a red velvet birthday cake. It was fantastic. So good that she asked me to make it again this year. the best. thanks Nagi
I’m so glad she loves it Linda, that’s so lovely to hear ❤️
Nagi, this cake is pure genius. I have baked this twice and received rave reviews from everyone who tasted it. I substituted cake flour for plain flour as I couldn’t find it in the UK and used cups (but not an official cup, just a small tea cup I had) and it worked amazingly well both times – I think I actually prefer using cups than scales – the typical British way. I will definitely be making this again as a showstopper. Keeps so moist, it’s brilliant.
Wahoo! That’s wonderful Ellen!!
Can this cake be made a few days ahead?
Hi Pv – It sure can! you can keep it in the fridge to keep it fresh, just bring to room temp before serving – N xx
Thanks so much for the UK tips! I didn’t realise that Baking Soda is Bi Carb & not Baking Powder, the Cream Cheese difference definitely makes sense now! my cakes dis sink in the middle slightly but otherwise they are perfect
Yes – very different Sam! (Although baking powder does have bi carb in it)
I have tried this batter for cupcakes to send for a party at my kid’s school
. They were so delicious and superhit at my daughter’s school . Thank you so much Nagi for sharing with perfect amounts of ingredients and clear explanations…
That’s great Sowjanya!!
Hi Nagi! I made this cake for New Years Eve and it was a hit. Everybody loved it. So moist and delicious. Thanks for another great recipe. All the best for 2020.
Thanks so much Giuseppe!
Hi I’m from the uk and came across this recipe and it’s my first time trying a red velvet cake and I thought I’d try make my own red velvet cake and I must say this was a gorgeous recipe I had to do the plain flour + cornflour method as I couldn’t find any cake flour and I made sure to use the gel food colouring which give it a lovely bright red colour and 250g of Philadelphia soft cheese was absolutely spot on as I don’t think I would of liked it if it was more and I certainly will be making this again!
I’m so glad you loved it Sara!!
Hi Nagi, how long will this cake last without the frosting on? Looking to make it today for my son’s birthday in 2 days time on 1st Jan. x
Hi Gillian, just cover with cling wrap and store in the fridge – it will be fine! Enjoy!
Made the red velvet cake for my son’s wedding. It was amazing, lovely velvety texture, perfect.
That’s awesome Judy, I hope he had a beautiful day! – N x
What can we substitute the buttermilk with if we don’t have any available?
Hi there! So excited to try your cake recipe! In regards to the cake flour, should it be bleached, unbleached, Or self rising?
Hi Aileen, its plain cake flour. Bleached or unbleached is fine – N x
Which buttermilk do you use?
Hi El, we only really have one brand easily available here – Dairy Farmers
Sounds good. I will try to make it soon. Good to know about buttermilk in baking. Cheers. Thanks Nagi!
I made this for my birthday yesterday. It was a hit. All my friends complimented how good the cake tasted. Your recipes are amazing. Thanks Nagi.
That’s so great!! Happy Birthday Summer 🎂
Looks great! Pls confirm the qty of cocoa powder… 2 tbsp/10g??
Hi Paul, yes that’s correct – as per the recipe 🙂