The only red velvet cake recipe you'll ever need is here! This is The Very Best Red Velvet Cake. It's perfectly moist, decadent, and so simple to make.
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June is birthday month in our house, starting with Kayla, and ending with me. The beginning of June we celebrated Kayla turning 18 with these Funfetti Cupcakes, and now we are celebrating Zack's birthday with The Very Best Red Velvet Cake!
Y'all, this cake is simply AMAZING! It's moist, thanks to the buttermilk, butter, and eggs.
The texture is perfect, thanks to the combination of all purpose flour and cake flour.
The cream cheese frosting will knock your socks off, with just the right amount of sweetness.
This cake will stop your guests in their tracks because you produced a red velvet cake that is not only beautiful (done so easily), but freaking delicious!
So, how do I know that this is The Very Best Red Velvet Cake?
Well....because I've eaten a lot of red velvet cake over the years. From store bought to homemade this one was the first one that I ever was like, "WOW."
I've probably made about a dozen different recipes, but after finding one that I really liked, and playing around with it to find this recipe, I knew that it had to be for Zack's birthday, and I knew that I had to share it with y'all!
So what is red velvet cake, anyways?
Besides tasty, I'm glad you ask. I really didn't know what the right answer to this question was, so I went and did a little searching.
Red velvet cake didn't originally use the red food coloring that we use today. It also wasn't a bright color either. It was a muted reddish brown tone, thanks to a chemical reaction.
When the acidity of the buttermilk or vinegar, mixed with baking soda, in combination of cocoa powder that wasn't alkalized, you get a muted reddish brown color.
At some point red food coloring came to the market, and the red velvet cake started to take on a true red appearance.
Red velvet cake is basically a chocolate cake that's red?
Not really, but yea, pretty much. The cocoa powder amount used in a red velvet cake isn't as much as say a traditional chocolate cake.
Take our recipe for The Best Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting. That recipe calls for ⅔'s cup, where as this recipe only calls for 2 tablespoons.
You get a slight hint of chocolate, when mixed with the vanilla, and other ingredients, you get this beautiful flavor.
It's a flavor that you can't really find in another cake.
How do I decorate my cake to look like yours?
I'm not a cake decorator by any means. I try really hard to make them pretty.
I can't make smooth frosting on the sides, and the only pretty top I've ever done was on the Lemon Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, and y'all, it was by pure accident.
Seriously. I was just using the tip of my small offset spatula. So if I can make pretty cake, I know that y'all can too!
For this cake I used the crumbs from leveling the cakes to top the cake with. The side was made with the tip of my small offset spatula.
I just placed the tip on the bottom and pulled it straight up, and pulled it slightly upward towards the center of the cake.
It's very easy to practice this, and if you mess up, just take the frosting back off, and do it again until you get the look you want.
I also find that using a cake turntable, I can decorate easier.
Looking for more red velvet desserts?
The Very Best Red Velvet Cake
The only red velvet cake recipe you'll ever need is here! This is The Very Best Red Velvet Cake. It's perfectly moist, decadent, and so simple to make.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 ½ cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, I used Hershey's special dark
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 stick butter, room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup canola oil
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- red food coloring as much as you'd like. I used ¾th's of a bottle that is 1 fluid ounce
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature you want to use regular cream cheese
- 1 stick butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottoms of two 9X2 inch cake pans with parchment paper (I trace the bottom of the pans, and cut them out to fit), and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, cake flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder together, and set aside.
- In a large bowl using a stand or handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar together for at least 2 minutes, until combined. Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla, mix until combined.
- Mix in the vinegar and food coloring - use as much or as little as you'd like, to reach the desired color you are looking for. I used ¾th's of a 1 fluid once bottle of red food coloring.
- With the mixer on low, pour in one third of the butter milk and one third of the flour mix that you set aside earlier. Do this in this order until the buttermilk and flour are completely combined. Do not overmix. You want to mix until everything is just combined.
- Divide the batter among the cake pans, and tap the bottoms on the counter to help settle the batter. I cheat and use a scale to be sure to have an equal amount in each pan.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, and remove them from their pans on to cooling racks, to allow them to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- After the cakes are completely cooled you can make the frosting by beating together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar, until you've mixed in all 4 cups. Mix in the whipping cream. Beat for a full 4 minutes. If it's too thick, add a teaspoon at a time of more whipping cream. If it's not thick enough, add in ¼th cup of powdered sugar at a time, until you've reached your desired consistency.
- Frost the completely cooled cakes, by leveling the tops, add frosting to the bottom layer, top with the cake, and frost away! See the post for tips on how I achieved this look
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
14Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 763Total Fat: 44gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 434mgCarbohydrates: 86gFiber: 1gSugar: 63gProtein: 8g
robin rue
Mmmm! Red velvet cake is one of my favorites. Since your recipe is the best, I need to make one soon!
anvita
This looks good. a perfect cake for any occasion. I am on a 100 day sweet challenge, but this looks super yum
Cassie
I love red velvet cake but I haven't actually never made it myself so I will definitely be bookmarking this recipe! Looks absolutely delicious!
Angela Tolsma
I love red velvet! Great cake option for a birthday. I have never thought to sprinkle some of the cake on top of the icing, that's a great idea!
Terri Steffes
Our recipes are similar, down to the vinegar. I use more cocoa than you. Your cake looks beautiful, the crumb is perfect!
Theresa
Red velvet cake is the best! We always buy a box mix, but I would try this!
Megan
Ugh, this looks like it's to die for. I love red velvet cake. Looks like a great recipe to make for a family gathering!
Maan
can this be made into cupcakes?if so, how much this recipe will make? thanks a bunch!
Joanna
I don't see why you couldn't make cupcakes from this recipe. I've never made red velvet cupcakes, but that's a great idea! (I like your thinking!) I would imagine it would probably make about 18, depending on how full you would fill the cups. If you try to make cupcakes, we would love to hear your experience.
Amanda Love
It looks so moist and baked to perfection! I think it's awesome to be able to make one like this for one of the kids' birthday parties. It looks so good! We're also huge fans of red velvet and I'd like to give this a try!
Rhian Westbury
Red Velvet cake is one of my all time favourites so this looks incredible, I love how soft the icing looks x
priti
Red velvett flavor, can never go wrong with it. Always yum yum
Jalisa Harris
This does look like the best red velvet cake. We make velvet cake cupcakes during the holidays but thwyre just the plain box ones. I'm sure your cake tastes ways better.
Shoshana Sue
Gosh, it so hard to find a great velvet cake. And if you say you have eaten a lot of them over the years and this is the best, then I have to try it. Going by the ingredients, it sounds very delicious.
Kristina
This looks delicious! I definitely want to make this! I love red velvet cake. Any cake period I love!
Rachel
Yummy,sounds so lovely to eat. My daughter loves to make cakes, and I know she will love to make the Red Velvet Cake. Thanks for sharing!!
Cindy Ingalls
Red velvet cake is one of my all-time favorite cakes. I love the mix of chocolate and cream cheese frosting. I've never tried to make one from scratch, but I'm inspired to give this recipe a try.
Krystal // The Krystal Diaries
Red velvet is one of my favorite types of cakes! I've never tried to make it before though. I need to try this.
Jeanine
This looks absolutely incredible. I haven't had red velvet cake in so long, I can't even think of the last time. i will need to try this out!
Yasmin Ali
I love love love red velvet and this looks absolutely good! Will be trying this out for sure!
Louise
I've been wanting to try red velvet cake for so long, but I never have! This recipe sounds absolutely divine, so there's no excuses for not giving it a try now!!
Louise x
Renee @ The Good Hearted Woman
I love red velvet cake! I love how you used the crumbs left from leveling to top the cake! Genius. I am going to do that next time I make a cake.
Amber Nelson
Red velvet is my weakness. That looks so delicious. I can't wait to try this recipe.
Heather McMechan
This is still a gorgeous cake even though you don't consider yourself a decorator. I'm all about the taste myself. Beautiful!!
Jennifer turner
I just made this cake today for my daughter & it is absolutely amazing ?
Debby
What can I use instead of the cream in the frosting
Joanna
If you are referring to the heavy whipping cream, you could use milk. If you are referring to the cream cheese, I would suggest making a vanilla buttercream instead. This is a really good one. https://www.everydaymadefresh.com/funfetti-cake-vanilla-buttercream/
Janine
I’m coming back to your recipe to make a second birthday cake, my daughters was a huge hit in November. Making it for a friend this time! She’s doing a kitty theme and so I’m wondering if you’ve swapped the cocoa powder for vanilla before - I’m hoping to keep the cake as white as possible.
Thanks!
Juanita
I just made this cake tonight and it is wonderful! I don't like the regular Red Velvet Cake but this is awesome! It is very moist and the frosting is OMG!!! I will certainly make it again. I can't wait until my daughters try it. I hope they like it as much as I do.
Alley
Hi J,
As for the cream cheese frosting — 1 Cup of icing sugar is equivalent to 125g? Or? Kindly advise as I don’t want my frosting to be too cloying.
Joanna
I'm not sure what the gram measurement is, but you could do a quick google search, I'm sure.