Red Velvet Cake

My Red Velvet Cake has a plush, velvety red crumb with a buttery, subtly chocolatey flavor. Top it off with classic ermine or cream cheese frosting! An easy, moist, and delicious recipe for a classic cake!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1 10

Servings slices

Calories 423kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (355 ml) buttermilk See note or click link for my easy buttermilk substitute
2 teaspoons red gel food coloring (I use Americolor "red red" or "super red") optional, if you leave it out the cake will be pale brown in color. 1 oz liquid red food coloring would also work but I much prefer gel and linked to the one I used.
2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour¹
1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
3 Tablespoons (19 g) natural cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
½ cup (113 ml) neutral cooking oil I use avocado oil, but canola or vegetable oil would also work
2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk room temperature preferred²
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 batch Ermine frosting ³

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and spray two 8” cake pans (see note for using different sized pans) with baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine milk and food coloring in a large measuring cup or small bowl, whisk to thoroughly combine and set aside.
1 ½ cups buttermilk, 2 teaspoons red gel food coloring (I use Americolor "red red" or "super red")
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined.
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour¹, 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup light brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons natural cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
Add melted butter and oil and stir until all ingredients are well-combined and no longer dry (the mixture will be thick).
½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup neutral cooking oil
Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, stirring until very well-combined after each addition. Pause occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.
2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
Stir in vanilla extract and vinegar then gradually add milk mixture and stir very well until completely combined and batter is entirely smooth and lump-free. While it's not impossible to over-mix this cake batter, it is difficult to do so and you are more likely to accidentally under-mix, so stir well!
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Evenly divide batter into prepared pans and bake on center rack on 350F (175C) for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (preferred) or clean (once the toothpick comes out clean it is nearing becoming over-baked, take it out of the oven at once).
Allow cakes to cool in their pans for 10-15 minutes, then run a knife along the inside rim to loosen the cakes and carefully invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely before covering with frosting. My cakes generally bake up nice and flat, but if yours are domed, level with a sharp serrated knife after cooling and before stacking and frosting.
1 batch Ermine frosting ³

Video

Notes

Buttermilk. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, measure 1 ½ Tablespoons of white vinegar into a 2-cup measuring cup and then add whole milk until you reach the 1 ½ cup line. Whisk together and allow to sit for 5 minutes, then add food coloring and proceed with the recipe.

¹I do NOT recommend substituting cake flour or any other kind of flour for this recipe.

²To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm (not hot!) water for 15 minutes.

³Ermine frosting is the classic frosting used for red velvet cake, but I alternatively love and would recommend using a batch of my cream cheese frosting.

Using Different Pans:

This recipe makes 6 cups of batter. I have tested it in the following pans:

9x13 pan: bake on 350F/175C for approximately 33 minutes (may take longer if using a glass dish)

9” pans: bake on 350F/175C for 33-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Cupcakes: I don't recommend using this exact recipe for cupcakes as it's a bit too moist, try my red velvet cupcake recipe instead.

Storing

Store cake in an airtight container. It will keep at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days (the fridge does tend to dry out cakes!). It may also be frozen for 2-3 months.

Nutrition