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Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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This Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is incredibly moist. Butter, Oil, and buttermilk add a beautiful texture and flavor to the cake. 

red velvet cake recipe

I like surprises and I also like planning them. This Red velvet cake was a surprise for Agnel’s birthday. When I was deciding on what to bake for his birthday, it finally struck me that he had mentioned having red velvet cake at work and loving it. Agnel’s birthday falls a week after Valentine’s day and I remember going to Walmart and finding that they were out of red food color. All they had was multiple color packs and so I ended up getting a couple of packs instead of one.  The very 1st time I made red velvet cake, I used liquid color. Later on, I realized gel color works best for cakes and frosting. Since then, I have been using Wilton gel colors.

Also, try out the delicious black forest cake and pineapple upside-down cake.

The origin of red velvet cakes

Apparently, red velvet cake originated during the 2nd world war when food was rationed and people used beet juice to enhance the color and texture of cakes. It is said that once the red velvet cake was commercialized, everyone started using red food color. The baking science behind this cake is that the reaction of vinegar and buttermilk reveals the red anthocyanin in the cocoa and keeps the cake moist and fluffy.

best red velvet cake
To be very honest, I have had red velvet cakes from different famous bakeries from around the world and I am still not quite sure how it should really taste like. Some cake was velvety but lacked flavor. Some tasted just like the vanilla cake with red color. Most of them tasted good but just that they all tasted different.
moist red velvet cake
Some of the recipes on the internet used only oil, and some only butter. Substituting 100% butter in baking, with oil tends to make the texture of baked goods a little dense, I feel. Since butter gives the cake a good texture, adding a tablespoon or two of oil to butter-based cake makes the cake very moist.

THE SECRET TO THE BEST RED VELVET CAKE RECIPE

This Red velvet recipe yields a very moist cake and uses both butter and oil.
When it comes to chocolate, from my experience, oil-based chocolate cake generally turns out better than a butter-based cake. The best chocolate cake uses only oil.

red velvet cake recipe

Update | 26th February 2017

This recipe has been slightly modified taking into consideration the comments below.

  • The eggs have been increased from 2 to 3. (This makes the texture of the cake more lighter)
  • The baking temperature was decreased from 350 Degrees Fahrenheit/175 Degrees Celsius to 325 Degrees Fahrenheit/ 160 Degrees Celsius. (This ensures even baking. I have started seeing better results when lower temperature is used for cakes)
  • Baking time is reduced by 10 minutes. (Every oven temperature varies slightly. So keep a close eye. Even an extra 5-10 minutes can make the cake dry).
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Red Velvet Cake
Author: Teena Agnel
Ingredients
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour Please refer notes for substitutes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 stick + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons butter)
  • 1 and 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon distilled vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons red food color
  • CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
  • 2 cups (16 oz )(450 grams) cream cheese
  • 1 cup (226 grams) butter at room temperature
  • 3-4 cups powdered/confectioners sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit/160 Degrees Celsius.
  2. Sift cake flour + baking soda + cocoa + salt and keep aside.
  3. Cream together butter + sugar till fluffy. Add vegetable oil followed by eggs beating well after each addition.
  4. Mix together buttermilk + red food color + vinegar + vanilla.
  5. Add flour to the egg mixture in three batches alternating with the buttermilk mixture beginning and ending with flour.
  6. Divide the batter into two 8 inch pan. Tap the pans 4-5 times on the counter to get rid of the excess air bubbles.
  7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  8. FROSTING:
  9. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
  10. Beat cream cheese + butter till smooth and light for about 2-3 minutes. Add 3 cups of powdered/confectioners sugar gradually. Taste and add the remaining 1 cup of sugar as needed.
Recipe Notes

For 1 cup Cake flour substitute: Take a leveled cup of all purpose flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of flour and then add 2 tablespoons of corn flour/corn starch. Mix and sift the flour 4-5 times. Using cake flour gives this cake a very light texture.

Gel food color yields a better red color.

The color of this cake is not bright red. If you want the cake to be bright red, use only 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder instead of 2.

Be careful when handling red food color. It can stain your counter and do not use your hands to mix once red color is added.

Comments

  2. Tina says

    So i just wanted to give an update on this recipe. I made this last night. I made 12 cupcakes and a small one layer cake because i had leftover batter and didn’t have another cupcake pan. Anyways, i have to say that the recipe tasted very good. I dont really think it tastes like traditional “red velvet” though. The cream cheese icing tastes more like buttercream, next time i will use less vanilla so its doesn’t give it a sour taste. Overall i think it was good, but not like your typical red velvet cake. If your thinking “nothingbudtcake” red velvet then this is not the cake you want to make.

    • Teena Agnel says

      Hey Tina….I appreciate your feedback….Can you tell me where did you have traditional red velvet cake so that I can get an idea of what you were expecting out of this cake?….I have tasted many different versions before trying this one and I think it depends a lot on personal taste too.

      Also the sourness of the frosting comes from cream cheese and not from vanilla extract.

      Buttercream frosting does not taste sour and since you already mentioned that the frosting tastes sour I am a bit confused how it can taste like buttercream.

      • Tina says

        When i said “traditional red velvet cake” i was referring to how red velvet tastes from bakery’s such as NothingBundtCakes or RollingintheDough (Las Vegas).

        The day i tasted the cake and frosting (the first night) the cake tasted great but it tasted like regular white cake with red food coloring which i did not mind at all. Also, the frosting tasted a bit sour or shall i say an odd taste, not like your typical cream cheese frosting. Well, the next day i ate a cupcake and a piece of cake (i love red velvet!) the frosting tasted like buttercream, it was no longer sour, even my guests said it tasted like buttercream frosting not cream cheese. Everyone loved the cupcakes, i left the cake for myself and my husband lol. I thought it tasted very very good! i would even make it again, however i do not think it tastes like red velvet cake with cream cheese icing.

  3. Tina says

    Can i make this cake into cupcakes?? How long would the baking time be? Do you have an Instagram with recipes?

  4. Tina says

    what does “cream together butter and sugar mean”? do you mean with a fork just smush them together until consistent ?

    • Teena Agnel says

      Hi Tina….Cream together butter and sugar means to mix it well so that the resulting mixture is creamy and fluffy. You can use your hands, whisk, egg beater or stand mixer. Fork is not ideal for this.

    • Kerri B. says

      Creaming sugar and butter requires a bit of air, too, so a hand mixer or stand mixer is best.

  5. Nichole says

    My cake turned out a bit dry. I think it could have used more moisture and a touch more cocoa powder. I also ran out of frosting. If you want it as frosted as the photo I would make a double batch. That’s just my preference. Over all nice recipe!!

    • Teena Agnel says

      Ah! I see. I have baked this cake lots of time but never thought it was dry. Did you happen to bake it for a little longer?…I really appreciate your feedback Nichole and I will certainly double check the recipe and the quantity of icing.

    • Teena Agnel says

      Hi Nichole, Taking your feedback into consideration I have made some slight changes to the recipe. I have also updated the quantity of the frosting like you mentioned. It was a typo on my part. Thank you once again 🙂

  6. jagritee says

    I never really liked red velvet cake before…….and then I tried this one! Wonderful recipe and the frosting is to-die for!

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