You won’t believe how easy it is to make this classic Red Velvet Cake recipe from scratch! This cake is so incredibly soft, tender, moist and pairs wonderfully with my tangy and sweet cream cheese frosting. With its wonderful velvety texture and fluffy frosting, you won’t be able to get enough of this irresistible cake. Show
Whether you are looking for a stunning red cake for Valentine’s Day or just need a showstopping cake for birthdays, holidays, or any other occasion, this red velvet cake recipe fits the bill. More than just a red-tinted vanilla cake, this cake is tangy and buttery, with a mild cocoa and sweet vanilla flavor. Red velvet cake is said to have originated during the Great Depression with the popularization of red food coloring and is a popular dessert in the Southern United States. It is such a unique cake that everyone will love. It’s definitely worth the effort to make from scratch as it’s far superior to any box mix. The cake’s dense and soft but still moist with a velvety crumb. It’s always a crowd-pleaser! Want to make another cake recipe from scratch? Try my lemon cake recipe, strawberry cake recipe, or naked cake recipe. What You Need to Make This RecipeBaking soda — always double-check that the baking soda you have on hand is not expired. Butter — buy unsalted butter to control the amount of salt added to the cake. Make sure the butter is at room temperature so it’ll be easier to cream. Cocoa powder — this recipe doesn’t call for a lot of cocoa powder, so it doesn’t overpower the other flavors in the cake. Make sure to use natural cocoa powder and not Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Buttermilk — this adds a tangy flavor and moisture to the cake. Also, the buttermilk activates the baking soda to help the cake rise and give it its light and fluffy crumb. Furthermore, as buttermilk is acidic, it reacts with the cocoa powder and turns it red! Vinegar — just like the buttermilk, the vinegar helps activate the baking soda and brings out the red tones in the cocoa powder. Red food coloring — this will help enhance the red tones in the red velvet cake. Cream cheese — make sure you use full-fat blocks of cream cheese to make this frosting. You do not want to use the cream cheese sold in a tub. Try to use the best quality cream cheese available. Some generic brands of cream cheese may not be as thick, leading to a runny frosting. Powdered sugar — you must use powdered sugar as it’ll quickly dissolve into the cream cheese frosting, making it creamy and sweet. If you only have regular sugar, see my post on how to make powdered sugar with it! How to Make Red Velvet Cake1. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together. 2. Cream the butter on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add in sugar and mix on medium until light and fluffy. Add the eggs in one at a time, beating each until well combined. 3. Beat in the vanilla, then sift the cocoa powder into the butter mixture. Beat just until combined. Scrape down the bowl. 4. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, vinegar, and red food coloring. (The more you use, the brighter the color when baked.) 5. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the flour mixture followed by half of the buttermilk mixture to the mixing bowl, beating just until combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk. Stop and scrape down the bowl occasionally. 6. Divide the batter among three buttered 6-inch pans and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch. 7. To make the cream cheese frosting, beat the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and salt together until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar to the mixer and continue mixing until incorporated. Set aside a cup. Place a cake layer on the cake stand and evenly spread ½ cup of frosting on top. Continue with the rest of the layers, then use the remaining frosting to coat the outside of the cake. 8. Place the cup of frosting into a piping bag with a decorative tip. Pipe a decorative border on top of the cake or as desired. Place the red velvet cake in the fridge and chill for about 1 hour or until the frosting is set. Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
Frequently Asked QuestionsHow do I store this?Due to the cream cheese frosting, I recommend storing the red velvet cake in the fridge if you want to keep it longer than 2 days. Place the cake under a cake dome or lightly cover with plastic wrap. The cake keeps for 5 days. Before serving, bring the cake to room temperature. Can I make this ahead of time?If you’d like to make the cake ahead and store it in the fridge, swap the butter for the same amount of vegetable oil! Simply mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour the wet into the dry and mix until combined. Bake as directed. The vegetable oil won’t firm up in the fridge like butter does, making a cold cake feel more moist and tender. You can also bake the cake layers, and once cooled, wrap them in plastic before freezing them for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake layers and make the frosting when ready to assemble. Can I freeze this cake?Yes! You can freeze the assembled cake or individual slices. Wrap the cake or slices in a couple of layers of plastic before freezing for up to 3 months. Bring the cake to room temperature before you serve it. What is the difference between red velvet and chocolate cake? Is this just a chocolate cake?This cake is much lighter than chocolate cake with a tangy note from the cream cheese frosting. Some people have stopped adding chocolate to the batter as it interferes with the desired bright red color. Originally the cakes had a dusty maroon hue from the acid reacting with cocoa powder, but as time went on, that became a bright red color with the addition of red dye to the batter. Unlike chocolate cake, red velvet cake has vinegar, which makes a huge difference as the acid reacts with the leavening agents to give you a fluffier cake. What is the actual flavor of this cake?Red velvet has a very mild chocolate and vanilla flavor with a tangy edge, thanks to the buttermilk, vinegar, and cream cheese. The main flavor note actually comes from the frosting. However, the cake’s most attractive aspect is the texture! You’re getting bites of fluffy, moist cake with a very creamy delicate frosting giving a delightful mouthfeel. If you’ve tried this Red Velvet Cake recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! Moist and tender with a tangy cream cheese frosting, this Red Velvet Cake is a classic dessert that everyone will love. It's the perfect cake for any occasion. Course Dessert Cuisine American Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes Total Time 2 hours Servings 6 servings Calories 1504kcal
For the Cake:
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
For the Cake:
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Calories: 1504kcal | Carbohydrates: 212g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 66g | Saturated Fat: 41g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 238mg | Sodium: 1177mg | Potassium: 392mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 167g | Vitamin A: 2087IU | Calcium: 350mg | Iron: 3mg *Nutrition Disclaimer What can I add to a red velvet cake mix to make it better?So, how can you make Betty Crocker Red Velvet Cake Mix better and still save time? You can make Red Velvet Cake Mix better by adding an extra egg, replacing water with buttermilk, splashing a few drops of vanilla extracts can elevate the standard red velvet cake mix.
How do I make my red velvet taste better?Boxed red velvet cake mix doesn't have to taste “boxed.” Simple swaps like butter instead of oil and buttermilk instead of water can take your cake to the next level. To enhance the flavor, you can also add espresso powder and other mix-ins, like coconut and pretzels.
Why do you put vinegar in red velvet cake?Although most red velvet cake recipes contain acidic ingredients such as buttermilk and cocoa, the addition of vinegar provides just a little extra acid to ensure the baking soda can do its best rising work.
What is the main flavor of a red velvet cake?What Flavor Is Red Velvet Cake? Red velvet cake tastes like very mild cocoa with a slightly tart edge. The cream cheese frosting is the most forward flavor. Perhaps even more important than the taste is the texture: smooth, soft, tender and light with creamy icing.
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