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A wide shot of a slice of red velvet cake, capturing the contrast between the vivid red layers and the white frosting, with crumbs scattered on the plate.
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Red Velvet Cake Recipe

A moist, rich, red-hued dessert topped with luscious cream cheese frosting, perfect for Valentine’s Day or any celebration.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
1 hour
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake, red velvet, Valentine's Day
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 923kcal
Author: Sara

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 ounces red food coloring amount will depend on how deep you want the color
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ cup plain hot coffee prepared
  • 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

Frosting Ingredients

  • 16 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 12 ounces butter softened (3 sticks)
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325ºF.
  • Prepare 2 9-inch round cake pans by spraying them with nonstick cooking spray and coating them with flour.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and vegetable oil with a hand mixer.
  • Add eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and red food coloring. Beat until combined.
  • Stir in the coffee and white vinegar.
  • Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Beat again until smooth and uniform.
  • Pour the batter evenly into each pan.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake as the cake will continue to cook as it cools.
  • Let cakes cool on a cooling rack until the pans are warm to the touch.
  • Slide a knife around the inside of the pans to loosen the cake from the pan.
  • Gently remove the cakes from the pan and let them finish cooling.
  • To prepare frosting, add cream cheese and butter to a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
  • Add powdered sugar and pinch of salt. Beat again until frosting is uniform.
  • Frost the cake with cream cheese frosting when the cakes have cooled completely.

Notes

  • Don't Over mix or Over bake: Mix your ingredients just until combined to avoid too dense of a cake, and prevent an over baked cake by using the toothpick test!
  • The Right Coffee Temperature: When you add your coffee, make sure it’s hot but not boiling. This helps to avoid any texture changes to the cake while still maintaining the flavor enhancing effects of the coffee.
  • Use Gel Food Coloring: Gel food coloring works well for achieving a vibrant red hue without affecting the consistency of the batter.
  • Properly Measure Dry Ingredients: Try not to just “eyeball” your ingredients for this recipe as it can create the wrong texture for your cake. You can use a scale if you want super precise measurements, or you can carefully measure with your measuring cups.
  • Cool Completely Before Frosting: Allow the cakes to cool completely before applying frosting to avoid melting or sliding.
  • Layer Evenly: Use a serrated knife to level off the cake layers if they’ve domed during baking. This ensures a professional-looking, stable cake.
  • Piping Frosting: You can chill the cream cheese frosting in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes if you want to pipe decorations onto your cake. 
  • Chill Before Slicing: For cleaner slices, chill your frosted cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 923kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 655mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 85g | Vitamin A: 1289IU | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 1mg