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. 😉
I have made my red velvet recipe into cupcakes. Am I able to freeze them? By the way they are lovely and much appreciate you helping us with ingredients needed wherever we live. Amanda UK
You’re so welcome Amanda, I would freeze these without the frosting ☺️
Looks amazing, this sounds really nice. I’m making a birthday cake for my son and wondered if I can still use fondant icing on it
Hi, you sure could use fondant, I hope he has a great birthday!
I made it and just had a taste. Sooo yummy, my icing was a bit runny as I’m in the uk and we have the thinner Philadelphia but it still tastes lovely. I’ll definitely make it again. Thank you so much for such a detailed recipe and how you researched ingredients for different parts of the world. I wish I could send u a pic
Hi, I’m looking to try this recipe. My only question is unsweetened cocoa powder okay?
Hi Rosanna, yes you need to use unsweetened cocoa in this recipe – Love to know what you think once you try it – N x
Can I use supreme sponge flour instead of cake flour
Hi Hanna, I haven’t used it before but would love to know if it works!
Hi Nagi,
I only have 9 inch cake tins. I was wondering how I should adjust the cooking time since they will be slightly flatter? I’m scared of burning them or sinking them by taking them out too soon! Also I might have to bake them on different shelves to fit them both in my small oven at the same time. Thanks. Your recipe sounds amazing!
Hi Jenny, I would just keep an eye on them and check at about 20 minutes to ensure they are cooked – N x
Thanks, Nagi! The 9 inch tins worked out fine.
Great recipe! This is the first red velvet cake I’ve ever tried that wasn’t bought from a supermarket. The texture is lovely. I did have some issues with the frosting being too runny, but it still tasted good. I’m in the UK so I followed the advice about the butter temperature and using 250g philadelphia, but it still didn’t quite hold its shape properly. I didn’t want to add more sugar and refridgerating it didn’t seem to help, so I think next time I would use less philadelphia. Other than that, fantastic recipe, thank you!
Hey is there any way I could make this into a three layer ten inch cake?
Hi Sarah, you should be ok to split the batter across three 10″ pans – just watch them and test to make sure they are cooked at about 20 minutes. You will need to increase the icing to compensate for another layer ❤️
Hi Nagi, two questions: what brand of cake flour do you use from Coles/woolies and how long would you bake these in the oven as cupcakes?
Nevermind about the second question I re-read the notes 🙂
Hy Vy, I use lighthouse cake flour ☺️
Cake flour means high protein flour, right?
Hi Elny, no – break flour is high protein, this causes the final product to have more strengthened chew. Cake flour is lower in protein making it more delicate – N x
Thanks Nagi! Just to double check is it the Biscuit, Pastry & Cake Cake Plain Flour or the Cake, Sponge & Steamed Bun Self Raising Flour? Do they both work the same? Will be making these as cupcakes for Valentine’s Day ^_^
Biscuit, Pastry & Cake – as this is plain flour, the other is self raising. Enjoy Valentines Day!!
What can I say MORE THAN THANK YOU SSSSOOOOOOO MUCH 1ST RED VELVET CAKE EVER MADE N HUG
MY SELF THEN KISSED MY HANDS FOR THE WORK I DID JUSTICE TO YOUR RECIPE.RED VELVET WAS THE WORST FEAR N NIGHTMARE TO ME BT FROM YESTERDAY I ASK EVERYONE” WHO WANTS RED VELVET LOL”
BE BLESSED MY DEAR I THEN SUBSCRIBED YOUR CHANNEL N TOLD EVERYONE I KNOW TO DO THE SAME LOL ALSO TO GO HAND IN HAND WITH UR AMAIZING RECIPES .AM FROM A COSTAL CITY IN A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY CALLED KENYA
Thank you so much, sounds like you absolutely nailed it, well done!!! ❤️
Hi thanks for your recipe .. i used 2 medium egg and one yolk as each is ab 50 g..
but i noticed the baking time is almost double..
i used 8 inch deep pan which was done at 90 min and i had to add damp towel around it so that the edge do not crisp fast i don’t know is that realted to baking in deep tin or not but thanks for th recipie my cake was flat and fluffy i like it.
I’m so glad you liked it Hanna! I always cook it in two pans to avoid the browning issue 🙂
My first time making red velvet cake and I must say I was skeptical that I can do it well. I live in the UK, and the substitutions/alterations for cake flour and cream cheese put me off.
I decided to try it anyway because I wanted a perfect cake for my husband and I can say with hand on heart that it was all worth it. I have only just cut off the top of the sponges to save for decorating but I couldnt stop myself from eating them. That is how good they are. No need to finish making the icing to write this review because right now, it has already delivered!
Thank you also for making this recipe relateable to many countries.
Now, back to my cut offs……
NB* I used your cake flour substitute. Works wonders.
As I dont keep white vinegar, I used malt vinegar instead and it still worked. No trace of it once finished.
I used 3 small eggs (147g) and still yielded moist fluffy sponge.
Vanilla bean paste instead of extract because that is what I have in the cupboard.
I’m so glad you loved it!!! – N x
Hi Nagi, im in NZ and would like to know what brand of food colouring you use for the red velvet cake, thanks.
Hi Michelle, I just use Queen – pillar box red from Woolworths ☺️
Thank you, that’s perfect, Queen is sold here, so I was able to get it😁
Hi, I’m in the U.K, how much gel colouring should I use?
Hi Emma, The same amount ☺️
Lovely, thank you. Never made a red velvet before, looking forward to trying it!
Hi Nagi! I am from Australia too, for the frosting should I be using soft icing mixture or pure icing sugar? Does it make a difference?
Hi Jo, I’ve just added a note in the recipe about this – I usually use mixture as it’s softer, I find that pure icing sets slightly harder.
should I put the cake in the fridge to allow the icing to harden? or is it better to leave out in room temp?
I leave mine out of the fridge You can refrigerate if you prefer, but I recommend letting it come to room temp before serving ❤️
Hello Nagi. I just can’t say enough how good your recipes are. We just love everything. Yesterday we had the mushroom rice again for dinner but one of our favourite is the Butter Chicken. I want to bake the red velvet cake for my son’s 18th birthday next week. We tried the chocolate cake a few weeks ago and we love it. However, I just want to ask what Cake Flour do you use. I am in Melbourne and have checked Coles online for cake flour but nothing comes up. I saw the Lighthouse Self Raising Flour for cake, sponge & Bun.
Is that the one that you used for this recipe. Thanks. Read you soon
Hi Jennifer, yes that’s the exact one I use!
Thank you so much
I made your red velvet cake and every one loved it. I want to make an egg less cake. what should be substituted for egg in this recipe. pls reply
Hi Reshmi, I haven’t tried this one with an egg substitute sorry!
This was the best red velvet cake recipe I have ever tried! It was a BIG hit Christmas day 😀
What a great compliment! Thank you!
I made the cream cheese icing but it was too runny to pipe! What did I do wrong? I followed everything as directed! Please help! Was my first time using my kitchen aid too.
I made the cream cheese icing last night and tried to pipe it but it was too runny?? What did I do wrong? I followed everything I was supposed to. Please help. Was my first time using my kitchen aid too.
Hi please help me I live in UK and we don’t have all purpose or cake flour can I use self raising flour? And do I still need to add the 1 tsp of bi carbonate soda
Hi Danielle, all purpose flour is the equivalent of plain flour in the UK. Also, the larger Sainsbury’s supermarkets (not local version) sell McDougalls brand cake flour. I hope this helps.
Actually just realised that you’re right, we don’t have cake flour! Just like we don’t have blocks of cream cheese! The McDougalls one I was talking about is sponge flour which is as a premium self raising flour. I guess you can follow Nagi’s substitution information in the notes section.