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Red Velvet Cake Recipe

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Red Velvet Cake with a tangy buttermilk batter and luscious cream cheese frosting.

 

Red Velvet Layer Cake with a wreath on top made of sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs

Have you ever had really great Red Velvet Cake?

If you’ve had great Red Velvet Cake you probably remember the delicious tang from the buttermilk, the hints of cocoa and the moist, light crumb. And let’s not forget the best cream cheese icing on this earth!

Real deal Red Velvet Cake always has vinegar and buttermilk in the mix. Occasionally you might find Red Velvet cake recipes that include red food color but not the vinegar and buttermilk. They may be called Red Velvet, but they won’t taste the same.

The history of Red Velvet cake is interesting and thought to have been developed during the Victorian Era. The cake we enjoy today, with red food coloring, probably came about during the depression when a Texas company starting selling red food dye.

You can make your own red food dye by using beets, but for this cake we used a one-ounce bottle of liquid red food coloring.

 

Red Velvet Layer Cake with Rosemary and sugared cranberries on top forming a wreath

Okay. I have a story. About an infamous Red Velvet Cake.

While growing up, Red Velvet cake was my favorite and the one I asked for each year on my birthday. My mom made great cakes and I always loved her Red Velvet Cake, until I tried to make it.

It was around the time my husband and I got engaged.

I was trying to impress him with my baking abilities and it was his birthday so I decided to make my favorite cake in the whole world, Red Velvet. Generally, I don’t make great cakes, I make great pies – BIG difference. Anyway – always up for a challenge, I made the homemade cake and was pleased that it looked so pretty! Three layers with cream cheese, pecans and candles.

We did the birthday song and presents but much to my dismay, the cake was really, really dry. I overcooked it a bit, I think.

Sometimes those handwritten recipes don’t include ALL the pertinent information. Such as reduce the cooking time if you make three layers instead of two. Duhhh. Oh well, it didn’t taste terrible, it was just very dry.

I thought the cream cheese frosting covered any flaws the cake might have had, at least a little. It was edible … I think, but I may not be remembering it clearly because it was over 33 years ago.

Being the supportive fiancé he was, he ate a few bites of cake each time I pulled it out of the fridge over the next few days.

A couple of days after his birthday we went on a weekend camping trip and I slipped the leftover cake in the cooler. I was determined not to waste it because after all, it was homemade and wasn’t that bad! Finally Ed had to tell the truth. “Trish, this cake is not very good and I just can’t eat anymore.” OK, you’re off the hook. I agree it is a little dry.

I pitched the giant hunk of leftover cake in the blazing fire thinking it would dissolve quickly. We watched as the cake started to glow, not really burn, but glow, like a piece of coal or …. oh my gosh, it glowed like a Duraflame Log! It burned/glowed for hours like the piece of coal it was!

We laughed and laughed and from then on it was called the Duraflame cake. Our children have never wanted to try Red Velvet cake and who can blame them! But come on guys, it has been over 33 years! Let it go already!

 

A red velvet layer cake with a wreath made of rosemary sprigs and sugared cranberries.

25 years later, I made another Red Velvet cake when I first started blogging in 2010.

The cake I made in 2020 was pretty good, and not as dry as the Duraflame cake, but I still wasn’t thrilled. So being the stubborn girl that I am, I recently ‘forewarned’ my husband that I was going to try making another Red Velvet Cake with a holiday theme. His response was … “Oh good a Yule Log.” I’ll never live that down. Never. Ever.

I’m a much better cake maker now than I used to be, so I fixed mom’s recipe and reworked it into this amazingly moist and delicious cake you see here! Mom’s recipe called for vegetable shortening, like Crisco. I felt like the shortening was making the cake dry, and tough, so I switched it out for unsalted butter. Then I added more butter and used full-fat buttermilk. Now we’re talking!

 

A slice of red velvet cake with cream cheese icing

This is the Red Velvet Cake I dream about!

Moist and tender, with a lovely tang that I would recognize if I ate it blindfolded. The flavor may remind you of a chocolate cake, but with terrific flair! It took me a long time but Mom’s cake is now a keeper. I think she would approve of my changes, especially after she tried it.

This is a great cake to make all year long. To give it a holiday theme, use fresh Rosemary sprigs and a batch of our Sugared Cranberries to create a wreath.

 

A slice of red velvet cake with sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs forming a festive wreath on top

After 33 years of trying to live it down, I’ve finally achieved red velvet cake redemption!

My husband said, and I quote, “it’s perfect and I would marry you all over again!” Thank heavens!

 

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A side view of a naked Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese frosting and sugared cranberries

 

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5 from 3 votes

Red Velvet Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Icing

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Yield: 10 Slices
Course: Dessert
Author: Tricia
PRINT RECIPE
With a delicious tang from the buttermilk, hints of cocoa and a moist, light crumb. Don't forget the best cream cheese icing on this earth!

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ounce red liquid food color (not icing gel food color)
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder natural, unsweetened
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk well shaken
  • 2 ¼ cups cake flour
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

For the icing:

  • 12 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • 24 ounces powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

To prepare the cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 3 (8-inch) cake pans. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing just until the yolk disappears.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa, salt and vanilla until blended. Add the cocoa mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Blend on medium-low until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Add ⅓ of the buttermilk and blend on low until incorporated. Next add ⅓ of the flour and mix on low. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat by adding ½ of the remaining buttermilk and then ½ of the remaining cake flour taking care not to over-beat after each addition. Blend on low just until incorporated. Repeat until all the buttermilk and flour are incorporated.
  • In a small cup stir together the vinegar and baking soda, until completely dissolved. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the vinegar mixture into the cake batter. Do not beat!
  • Divide the batter equally into the three prepared 8-inch cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (moist crumbs are okay - no wet batter) about 18 to 20 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn the cakes out and cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare the icing:

  • Combine the cream cheese and butter and beat until blended. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. And the vanilla and mix on low until smooth and creamy.
  • I use about 2 cups of icing in between the cake layers but you can probably use more. There is enough to frost this cake without leaving the layers showing through (naked). Frost the cake as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cake keeps well up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes

  • Decorate the top of the cake with fresh rosemary twigs and sugared cranberries if desired. Click HERE to get recipe for the sugared cranberries.
  • I used three 8-inch cake pans. You can also make this cake into two 9-inch layers. Watch the baking time - dried out Red Velvet cake is not good!
  • Recipe adapted from my Mom's archives.

Red Liquid Food Color

I recommend using liquid food color like this easy to find McCormick’s brand. The thick, gel-like small plastic containers of food color are typically used for icing, and are labeled that way. The thicker gel food color may not work as well in this cake. To make things even more confusing, some liquid food color is marked as gel-liquid. Purchase a culinary grade food color that is more liquid than gel, and mix well into the batter. I always buy this McCormick brand because it’s the exact amount I need for this cake, it blends very well, it’s readily available in most grocery stores and has a beautiful bright red color. Click on the photo for more information or to purchase from Amazon.

Saving Room for Dessert is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program ~ I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog.

 

Here are a few more recipes you might also enjoy:

A cranberry almond breakfast cake topped with sugared cranberries

Cranberry Almond Breakfast Cake

 

 

a sliced loaf of cranberry orange bread topped with sugared cranberries

Cranberry Orange Bread

 

 

A bowl of sugared cranberries

How to make sugared cranberries

 

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80 Comments

    • Tricia Buice says

      I Karina. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a great substitute at home. Pour 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in a 1 cup measuring cup. Add whole milk to fill, then stir. Set aside for 5 minutes then add to your cake. Instant buttermilk!

      reply to this comment >

  2. Luke says

    Hi, tried this recipe! Cake was great! We’ll be trying this recipe again! Do you think a vanilla buttercream would go well with recipe, instead of cream cheese frosting (just a thought)?

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  4. Jessica says

    For Christmas dessert I decided to give this recipe a try since the photo was stunning and seemed easy enough to bake. I was so disappointed in the way it turned out. The sponge was so dense and lacked flavour. The two cups of cake flour was not enough for 8 people as the recipe suggested. The cream cheese frosting tasted like feet. Will not be making this again.

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      Hi Jessica. This comment makes me sad for several reasons. One, the cake is very light and usually has plenty of flavor with the vinegar and cocoa adding to the mix. Next, to say that the frosting tasted like feet is a bit over the top. I always want our readers to have a great recipe experience and love the dish as much as we do. This cake recipe is terrific and the cream cheese frosting is wonderful. If it didn’t turn out for you I feel something must have gone wrong. Perhaps your cream cheese was out of date and no longer good. Maybe your baking soda was old and no longer provided the lift this cake needs. Either way, we are sorry you didn’t enjoy it.

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      • Jessica says

        You’re right – I didn’t mean to be a troll. It was probably just the poor ingredients I used. Sorry to be the only negative comment on this page. With all that’s going on in the world, we don’t need any more negativity. I’ll give it another try.
        Thanks for putting it up for others to try.

        reply to this comment >

  5. Samantha says

    5 stars
    Thank you for this wonderful recipe! It was simple to make and look and taste fabulous. I couldn’t get fresh cranberries here in Hong Kong so used fresh raspberries instead. Just gorgeous!

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      Hi Willow! Not sure if you are using two or three 6-inch cake pans. If using two, you can easily divide the recipe in half. Not sure of the baking time as I have not tested the recipe using smaller pans. I love smaller cakes, too! When you go to print out the recipe you can adjust the serving size and the recipe will automatically adjust. If you cut the recipe in half (5-servings) it may be the easiest way to go. You can divide the batter between two or three 6-inch cake pans and check the baking time frequently, especially if the layers are very thin. Hope this helps!

      reply to this comment >

  8. CJ Weller says

    This recipe’s very similar to my Dad’s but to bring out the flavor of the cocoa, he added two heaping tablespoons of instant coffee. He would serve it on the dessert bar at the restaurant where he was the Executive Chef. People would come in just for his desserts.

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  9. Mary B says

    5 stars
    I love your red velvet recipe! I added a middle cheesecake layer that I prepared the day before because my daughter loves both! It was divine! I will be using this recipe again! Wish I could send you a picture!

    reply to this comment >

  10. Marcela says

    Hi Tricia, I was wondering if I could use cranberry juice (fresh cranberries reduced with water on the stove then strained to make juice) in place of red food coloring? Thanks a lot Tricia!

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      Hi Marcela. I have not tried this method of food coloring. However, I would love to know if it works out for you. A lot of people use beet juice as food color, too. Make sure you don’t exceed the amount of liquid called for in the recipe. Since cranberries have a strong tart flavor, I’m not sure how this will affect the overall flavor of the cake. It sounds like a good idea, just not sure it will work. I would just leave out the food color all together, but of course the cake will not be red.

      reply to this comment >

  11. Jennie says

    Finally made this red velvet cake. Although it was good, my layers were very thin. I followed directions explicitly. I used three 8” cake pans and baked 20 minutes. The only thing I can think of that may have been my issue was when I added the vinegar to the baking soda, it fizzled well , then stopped all fizzing when I stirred it. As I poured it in batter, I noticed some soda was not completely incorporated in the vinegar. I did make sure all of Mixture was folded into batter. I have such success with your recipes and I would love to try this recipe again. Do you have an idea of what could cause thin layers? The cake was tender and moist but extremely fragile. Thank you for any assistance before I try again

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      Hi Jeannie. Sorry you had trouble with this recipe. I think you’re right about the vinegar baking soda mixture. This is what gives the cake a little lift. Two things. Be sure you are using fresh baking soda. It will stop fizzing, but make sure the baking soda is completely dissolved. Also, good buttermilk is key to great flavor and texture. The vinegar/baking soda mixture reacts again to the buttermilk. Double check your measurements, shake your buttermilk very well before measuring, and use fresh baking soda. Good luck! So happy you’re going to try again and I appreciate you taking the time to comment.

      reply to this comment >

  12. Michelle says

    Made this cake…. followed recipe accurately..used two 9” cake pans….. baked 28 mins… tested done .. cake was very dry….. and not very red….. disappointed….. threw it away after we had for dessert on Christmas Day…… will not make again……. it
    Looked pretty with sugared cranberries….. but was way too dry

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      Hi Michelle. Sounds like you over baked the cake. Not sure where you got 28 minutes for the baking time but that was probably 5 minutes too long. As noted in several places on this post, dried out red velvet cake is horrible. Thus the story about my first experience with red velvet cake. No doubt your cake was not what you had hoped. Glad it looked nice, however. Maybe you will try again one day.

      reply to this comment >

      • Michelle says

        How long would you have baked 9” cake pans? They were still raw after 20 mins….. I tested twice… tester came out clean at 28 mins…. your recipe called for 3- 8” cake pans… I baked 2 – 9” pans ….Would have Also preferred layers to be red …..my oven is only a year old… I’ve not had trouble baking cakes before.

        reply to this comment >

        • Tricia Buice says

          Hi Michelle. I’m sure your new oven is baking fine, but each oven bakes differently. Dark pans bake more quickly than light colored pans, etc. I recommend that you always trust your instincts when it comes to baking. Two or three extra minutes in the oven can mean the cake could be dry. A toothpick inserted in the center of this cake should come out clean so I would probably check at 23 to 25 minutes. As for the cake not being red, I have not tested this cake with every red food color product available. Some may react differently. For this cake you should use the red liquid gel kind of food color that comes in a bottle, not the small plastic jar that is used for icing. Hope these tips help. Again I am very sorry it didn’t turn out as you had hoped.

          reply to this comment >

  14. Ellen says

    Hello, thank you so much for an amazing idea! I just made this cake for a Christmas party. Everyone was so impressed!
    One moment: I used muuuuch less sugar for icing. And have added a spoon of milk to make it creamy.
    My cake took twice more cream ))

    Thank you and Happy holidays!

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      Hi Mike. Vinegar combined with baking soda creates a chemical reaction which helps provide lift, and a good rise in your cake. Anything acidic combined with vinegar will do the trick. Although Red Velvet Cake contains buttermilk, which reacts the same way as vinegar when mixed with baking soda, the additional vinegar ensures the cake will turn out beautifully. It’s an effective leavening agent for sure. True red velvet cakes have always contained vinegar, not just red food color. Hope that helps!

      reply to this comment >

  18. Jennie says

    Can’t wait to make your beautiful red velvet cake. Can you clarify cake pan size? At the beginning of instructions for this recipe, it calls for using 3 (8”) pans, yet further down in instructions, it refers to prepared 6” pans. However; In recipe notes, it states you used 3(6”) pans but can use two 9” or two 8” pans. Which size pan and how many pans match recipe cooking time? Thank you.

    reply to this comment >

  19. Tess says

    This cake is so beautiful! I made it last weekend and it turned out fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe Tricia. I do have a question, I didn’t decorate the cake with the fresh rosemary because I was worried that the rosemary flavour would transfer to the icing, does it ?

    reply to this comment >

  25. Renee says

    I saw this on Facebook. I love Red Velvet Cake but the recipe I tried in the past was just too oily. This is so pretty. I have the ingredients and am making this tomorrow to take to my daughter’s house. I even bought the rosemary and cranberries for the top of the cake 🙂

    reply to this comment >

  27. Liz says

    Oh, my gosh, I LOVE how you garnished your cake! Makes it super festive for the holidays. And the story of your first attempt is priceless. I’ll never live down the first stroganoff recipe I made for Bill, it was BAD! Merry Christmas!! xo

    reply to this comment >

  32. Julie G says

    Absolutely gorgeous! That cake does look moist! I love how beautifully you decorated it…perfect for the holiday. I may give this one a try next week Tricia. My daughter is getting married tomorrow and we have a holiday full of excitement. I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and wonderfully Happy New Year! And, I’m excited about what you have in store for us in 2019!!

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      Oh Julie congratulations!!!! I bet you are so excited. A Christmas wedding is amazing. My husband and I were married on December 14th, a long time ago, but we’ve always loved celebrating during this festive and special time of year. You are the sweetest and I’m so happy for you all. Merry Christmas to you and yours. I know you are busy, so take care and enjoy the ride! XOXOX

      reply to this comment >