The best red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting – an iconic, much-loved classic that has been around for decades! Every pastry chef has their recipe for this visually stunning cake! The red color is courtesy of plenty of red food coloring and cocoa powder. My simple recipe made with homemade buttermilk yields a moist, tender and delicious cake! I frost the cake with a simple cream cheese frosting and to garnish the cake, chocolate covered strawberries! I love the simple yet elegant finish. This cake is perfect for special occasions or for the holidays!
My Red Velvet Cake Video Tutorial!
Watch my YouTube video tutorial for all the recipe details and step-by-step instructions for making this red velvet cake! Want to receive new recipe emails in your inbox? Make sure to subscribe to my website emailing list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications!
History of Red Velvet Cake
The history of the original red velvet cake can be traced back to the 1920’s, when this cake was served in the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York. Housewives picked up the recipe and began serving it for Christmas and Valentine’s Day. The color of the cake comes from cocoa powder and red food coloring, which lends this cake that deep rich red mahogany color. A cake that has been around for almost a hundred years deserves a special place in every baker’s kitchen. I’m proud of this beautiful version!
Ingredients for Classic Red Velvet Cake
Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to make this cake:
- Butter, Sugar, Eggs, Flour, Milk: for making the cake batter.
- Cocoa Powder: for giving the cake that signature chocolate flavor.
- Red Food Coloring: I recommend using concentrated gel food coloring for the brightest red color.
- Cream Cheese: soften the cheese at room temperature for about 30 minutes prior to using. It will much easier to mix it.
- Butter: use unsalted butter for making the cream cheese frosting.
- Confectioner’s Sugar: for the frosting.
- Strawberries: for garnishing the top of the cake.
Making the Red Velvet Cake Layers
This rich, red-colored cake is actually a chocolate cake in disguise! I make my cake layers with buttermilk, sugar, eggs and butter. The buttermilk helps intensify the red color of the cake! Since buttermilk is not readily available everywhere, I created this recipe with homemade buttermilk – whole milk and vinegar/lemon juice. If you are able to get buttermilk, use that instead.
Next, add in the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. The cocoa powder will add amazing chocolate flavor! This recipe calls for just 2 tablespoons of cocoa. You don’t want to add too much cocoa, otherwise you’ll love the beautiful red color of the cake! Allow the cake layers to cool completely before adding the frosting!
Making the Cream Cheese Frosting
You’ll love the simple and delicious cream cheese frosting I used for this red velvet cake! I even have this recipe in my ‘Back to Cake Basics’ series. For an in-depth tutorial for making this frosting, check out my ‘5-Ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting’ recipe.
- For best results, beat the softened cream cheese for 5 to 7 minutes, until it’s really smooth and creamy. You don’t want any clumps in the frosting! To ensure it’s smooth, scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl often to get everything incorporated!
- If the frosting is too soft, place it into the refrigerator and let it chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
How to Make Red Velvet Cake
Here’s how to assemble this delicious red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting:
- Allow the red velvet cake layers to cool completely! Place them into the refrigerator to cool faster. Once they’re chilled, use a serrated knife to level the top of each layer.
- If you want the cake layers to be more moist, lightly soak each layer with a simple syrup using a pastry brush. To make the syrup, combine 1/4 cup sugar with 1/2 cup boiling water, mix and let it cool completely.
- Spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting between each cake layer. If desired, also frost the sides of the cake. I recommend frosting the sides if you need to make the cake ahead of time, or need to keep it in the refrigerator for a couple days.
- Garnish the top of the cake with fresh strawberries, if desired. I recommend adding these on top when you’re ready to serve so they’re fresh.
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More Recipes
Enjoyed this classic red velvet recipe? Check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to enjoy!
- Red Velvet Crepe Cake – rich and red-colored chocolate crepes layered with a fluffy whipped cream frosting!
- Strawberry Red Velvet Cheesecake – rich chocolate cheesecake topped with strawberry mousse and strawberry whipped cream!
- Red Velvet Brownie Cheesecake – you’ll love this red velvet cheesecake prepared on top of a brownie crust, topped with strawberries and cream!
The Best Red Velvet Cake Recipe (video)
1 hour hr 30 minutes mins prep + 40 minutes mins cook
16 servings
Rich and delicious red velvet cake with chocolate cake layers and cream cheese frosting!
IngredientsUS Customary - Metric
US Customary - Metric
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon vinegar
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
red food coloring
For Cream Cheese Frosting:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
strawberries, for garnish
Instructions
For Red Velvet Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 3, 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper (or, 2, 9-inch cake pans); set aside.
Combine the milk and vinegar; set aside for 5 to 7 minutes to sour the milk. Meanwhile, prepare the remaining wet ingredients. Place the sugar and butter into a mixing bowl and using stand mixer or hand mixer, whisk the two ingredients together until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and keep whisking the mixture for a few more minutes. Pour in the soured milk and mix again.
Prepare the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Using a fine-mesh sifter, add the flour into the cake batter, whisking after each addition. Be careful not to over-mix the batter; mix just until combined! Add the food coloring. The amount you will need depends on the type of food coloring you use. Gel food color tends to be more concentrated.
Divide the cake batter between prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove cakes from pans and onto cooling racks to cool completely before frosting.
For Cream Cheese Frosting:
Prepare the frosting. Place the softened cream cheese and butter into a mixer bowl. Whisk on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes, scraping sides of bowl often, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add a few tablespoons of cream and the vanilla extract. Begin adding the confectioner's sugar 1 cup at a time. Beat the frosting for about 5 minutes until light and airy. If the frosting is too soft, refrigerate it for 1 hour.
Assembling the Cake:
Assemble the cake. Use a sharp, serrated knife to even off the top of each layer. Preserve the scrapes if you wish to garnish the cake with crumbs. Spread a very generous amount of frosting between each layer and on top and sides. Garnish top with cake crumbs or strawberries.
Keep cake covered and refrigerated. Remove from refrigerator 1/2 hour prior to serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 1122IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 1mg
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Course:
- Cakes
- Dessert
Cuisine:
- American
Holiday:
- Christmas
- Valentine's Day
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37 comments
- Sweet Somethings Blog
Your method is one that I have not seen before! Looks a little different than mine (http://sweetsomethingsblog.com/2015/12/08/bakery-worthy-red-velvet-cupcakes/) but interested to try yours out! Thanks for sharing!!
- Reply
- Tetisya
Is it ok to use buttermilk instead of mixing milk and vinegar together?
- Reply
- tkorchemnaya
Yes, definitely! 🙂 I just wanted to show my viewers an alternative if they cannot find buttermilk 🙂
- Reply
- Marina
How come I added the sour milk to the batter and it curled up???
- Reply
- tkorchemnaya
What kind of vinegar did you use? Sounds like maybe there was too much acidity. If you have buttermilk, use that instead, since the sour milk is essentially a “buttermilk alternative” 🙂
- Reply
- Jacob
What brand of food colouring did you use? And how much did you use?
- Reply
- tkorchemnaya
I used a GEL concentrated food coloring, about 1 teaspoon of it. You can use liquid food coloring but you will need more of it. Start by adding a few tablespoons and see how the batter looks, then add more if needed.
- Reply
- Breanna
Mine didn’t rise as much as it was supposed to what did I do wrong?
- Reply
- tkorchemnaya
Sorry to hear that! Make sure your baking powder is not expired. Also, don’t overmix the batter once you add the flour; that can make the batter too tough
- Reply
- Shakila
Hai. Is it ok to use half butter and half oil for this recipe?
- Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood
Hmm, I haven’t tried with oil but it should work!
- Reply
- Maria
Hi I would like to ask… Is it baking powder or baking soda (bicarbonate soda) used in the red velvet cake recipe?
- Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood
Hi! I used baking powder in my recipe 🙂
- Reply
- Loli
After the cream is added in powdered sugar, cream exfoliate. You have written 5 minutes, whisking until airy. If so long whipping cream will not work. Powdered sugar just to mix. I was disappointed to spend 1 kg (double portion) of cheese 🙁
- Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood
You want to whisk the cream cheese by itself of 5 minutes, before adding any other ingredients, otherwise the frosting will be heavy. Once you add all the ingredients, keep whisking for another 5 minutes. The frosting should become very airy. If it doesn’t add more confectioner’s sugar, or less heavy cream.
- Reply
- Shirley
Is the frosting hard enough to hold a
fondant? Thanks!- Reply
- Shirley
Can I double the recipe to make a bigger cake?
- Reply
- Faz
Can this recipe be used for cupcakes ? If yes what baking temperature and time does it require ?
- Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood
Yes, this recipe will also make 24 cupcakes. Bake the cupcakes at 325F.
- Reply
- Audrey B.
how much baking time would the recipe need if i were to be making them as cupcakes?
- Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood
Hi! Cupcakes usually take about 24 to 26 minutes. I recommend doing a toothpick test to check for doneness. Enjoy! 🙂
- Reply
- Shirley
Can I double the recipe to make a bigger cake?
- Reply
- Rachael
Hello Tatyana, I made this red velvet cake yesterday and they taste so so good. But the issue I have is getting it to come out of the baking pan. I always grease my pans with cake and flour and that does the trick but it just didn’t work here. What else can I do?
- Reply
- Rachael
Sorry I grease my pan with butter and flour
- Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood
I always line my cake pans with parchment paper and spray the sides with a baking spray. The parchment paper is a cake saver! If you don’t want to use paper, I recommend using a starch-based baking spray. The one I use is available in my ‘shop’
- Reply
- may
Hi Tatyana. My frosting is runny.what should I do?
- Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood
Try setting it into the refrigerator and let it set up a little bit more. You can also add more confectioner’s sugar
- Reply
- Geisyane Jc
Hey, you! I’m crazy about the red velvet cake, but here in Brazil I couldn’t find to buy. Since a ate in USA, I’m trying many recipes. I’m pretty excited to try your recipe out. I just finish translate it, and I gonna bake soon. So thanks! I’ll back here to tell you if worked! =)
- Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood
Hi! Hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
- Reply
- Shani
What sort of vinegar do we have to use?
- Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood
I used regular, table-strength white vinegar 🙂
- Reply
- aya
hi why dont you use baking soda in this recipe? while most RV recipe will use it?
- Reply
- Maha
Hi,
Can I bake this cake on a stove top?- Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood
Hi! I’m not sure how that would work. I’ve only used the oven for baking cakes.
- Reply
- sabrina
Hi Tatyana . I’m going to make this cake and I am wondering why this cake doesn’t have baking soda . And can I bake half of the recipe in 2 , 15-cm cake pan ?
thanks in advance ?- Reply
- Lucy
What can I substitute for food colouring? I tried beet juice but it comes out more brown than red. Can I substitute 1/2 cup of milk for beet juice?
Thanks
- Reply
- tatyanaseverydayfood
Hi Lucy! I personally haven’t tried using beet juice in this recipe. However, you can try substituting the milk. Just make sure you have the same amount of liquids.
- Reply
