The Best Red Velvet Cake
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Send this recipe to my email.
Our Red Velvet Cake is the best one I've ever tasted. It's a hybrid recipe taking its inspiration from several versions of this classic southern dessert cake that I've tried over the years.
Originally Published June 2012.
In general, I've found that the simpler the recipe, the better the cake. This recipe really could not be more simple.
The method is to simply combine the wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately. Then, just bring them together to form a very pourable batter, which produces a very moist cake.
I've seen some recipes that also include an outrageous amount of red food colouring. I am not particularly fond of using colourings in general.
Infrequently, I will for special occasions and this recipe uses a very reasonable 1 ½ teaspoon of liquid red food colouring.
The upcoming Canada Day weekend seemed like a good time to feature the red in this cake. That, of course, with the white of our double cream cheese frosting, the two colours of our national flag.
The correct amount of cocoa.
Recipes also vary greatly on the amount of cocoa in a Red Velvet Cake, ranging from only a teaspoon to several tablespoons. I prefer the higher end of the cocoa scale for just a little more chocolate edge to this terrific cake.
Some folks object to this because it produces a more brownish red cake. That doesn't bother me, I'm all about the flavour.
If this is a concern though, you can cut back on the cocoa if you like but do not omit it altogether. The red velvet purists will hunt you down for that crime against cake!
I've read from several Southern US sources that toasted pecans in the frosting between the layers is also a critical component.
I'm going to call it optional but since I really love lightly toasted pecans, I think they add outstanding flavour and a crunchy component that I find irresistible.
The Velvet Cake Collection
Update: The success of this recipe set me off on a journey to create other velvet cake recipes using a slightly different, but still simple method for a very soft, tender and moist texture. They have turned out to be the most successful cake recipes of our last 10 years.
The White Velvet and Lemon Velvet cakes in particular have been incredible successes with almost 1 Million page views between them on this website. Find the Velvet Cake Collection here.
Like this The Best Red Velvet Cake recipe?
You'll find hundreds of other sweet ideas in our Cakes & Pies Category and even more in our Desserts Category.
It's easy to keep up with the latest home style cooking & baking ideas from Rock Recipes. Be sure to follow Rock Recipes Facebook Page and follow us on Instagram.
Plus you'll see daily recipe suggestions from decadent desserts to quick delicious weekday meals too.
You can also sign up for our FREE newsletter to know immediately when we add new recipes. You'll also get weekly suggestions for great family friendly meals and desserts too!
Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.
The Best Red Velvet Cake
The Best Red Velvet Cake. We borrowed the best elements from several other red velvet recipes to create this outstanding recipe with double cream cheese frosting and toasted pecans. Irresistible!
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1¼ cups cake flour
- 1½ cups sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon cocoa
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoon liquid red food coloring
- 1½ teaspoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans, (optional for garnish)
For the cream cheese frosting
- 1½ cups (12 ounces) cream cheese
- ¾ cup butter
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 cups icing sugar, A 1 kilo/2 lb bag.
- 1-3 tablespoon milk; enough to bring the frosting to a spreadable consistency
Instructions
To make the cake
- Grease two 9 inch cake pans and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Sift together the flour, cake flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together well, the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla extract.
- Mix in the dry ingredients all at once and blend until smooth. Do not over mix the batter. As soon as it has no lumps in the batter, pour into the two prepared 9 inch cake pans.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Turn cakes onto a wire rack, remove the parchment paper and allow to cool completely. When the cake is completely cool, you can cut the two layers into 4 using a sharp serrated bread knife if you like or just have 2 layers in you prefer. I think the four layers helps to get a good ratio of cake to frosting in each bite.
- If you are adding the toasted pecans, sprinkle ¼ cup of them over each layer of frosting as you construct the cake.
To make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Mix all the ingredients together and beat well until smooth and fluffy.
Notes
The frosting in this recipe does make enough for 4 layers or to frost a 2 layer cake completely on all sides. If you would just like to serve it as a 2 layer with no frosting on the sides, just half the frosting recipe.
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Serving Size
1 sliceAmount Per Serving Calories 558Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 8gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 48mgSodium 439mgCarbohydrates 98gFiber 1gSugar 80gProtein 8g
I made this for Canada Day and it was a hit! Now I want to make it again for daughter's birthday, only I want to make cupcakes. How many cupcakes would I get with this recipe?
Depends on the cupcake pan size. They do vary. Just fill them 2/3 to 3/4 full. Use the toothpick test to determine baking time. I'd test at 15 minutes first.
Hi Barry. If I use a gel food coloring, how much would I use and can I use sherry vinegar verse white? I'd guess it would cut the acidity a little? Thanks.
It's really up to you how much to use to get the colour the way you want it. I've always used white vinegar? is there really a difference in acidity? I've never noticed.
Barry, I've heard there is but I'm not sure. I'm not a Red velvet fan but was requested it by a bride, so I'm really trying my hardest to find a good recipe that stacks well and can pair with a white cake (possibly your white velvet).
The acid in the buttermilk and vinegar is important to developing the flavour of red velvet and to boosting the rising action. A good red velvet cake should be light textured so you'll have to use a supporting structure to stack. How many layers? What size layers?
I've made the red velvet and the lemon velvet and both were delicious and very moist. Fantastic recipe!!!
I've also made the lemon, orange, and white velvets here and they are reliable, go to recipes. Always get compliments on them. Thanks! Now I'm considering red velvet... the mother of all velvets. (?)
This is an absolutely delicious red velvet cake! Thank you for sharing your great recipes!
Hi, I have been asked to make a red velvet cake as part of a wedding cake (only make cake for family), never having eaten one and not really seeing the point of adding red food colouring to a perfectly good chocolate cake, I thought better give it a try. Well thinking about the weather next June and not wanting to use cream cheese frosting I finished it with White chocolate ganache, well it was very easy to make, baked beautifully tasted delicious and everybody including the future couple loved it. Thank you.
I love all Rock recipes .The recipes are very soft .
was wondering why such a low temp compared to baking it at 350 degree for 35 to 40 mins