This homemade Red Velvet Cake recipe makes a moist, tender, and oh, so velvety soft bright red cake. It is buttery with a subtle cocoa flavor and topped with our irresistibly smooth Cream Cheese Frosting. This cake is perfect for any holiday or special occasion and is the most requested cake recipe on our site.
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We love making cakes and the bright red color of Red Velvet Cake makes it the perfect choice for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, rehearsal dinners, weddings, 4th of July, and Christmas (or any occasion because it’s delicious!). Watch the video tutorial and see just how easy it is to make this bakery-quality Red Velvet Cake recipe. It’s sure to impress! Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Easy to make with basic ingredients, you don’t even need cake flour
- Buttery soft with a tangy buttermilk flavor, and paired with a sweet, but not too sweet frosting
- Bright in color, which is especially appealing for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, and birthdays
- Easy to customize the toppings to fit any occasion
Red Velvet Cake Video
Watch Natasha make Red Velvet Cake from scratch. This is the best red velvet cake recipe! The red cake batter rises beautifully making it perfect for a two or three-tiered cake, you don’t even need to trim the layers.
What is Red Velvet Cake?
The exact origin of Red Velvet Cake is somewhat debatable. Did it start at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, in the South during the 1920s when Adam’s Extract Company was promoting their new food coloring, or was it during the food rationing of World War II when people creatively used beet juice to dye their cakes red? Whatever its roots may be, we are glad this beloved classic American recipe is here to stay.
Red Velvet Cake is known for its signature red or red-brown colored cake layers and soft texture that is… well, velvety. Many ask if Red Velvet Cake is just Vanilla Cake with red food coloring, and the short answer is no. Red velvet cakes have common ingredients like cocoa powder, buttermilk, vinegar, butter, and flour that create a moist and fluffy cake with a hint of chocolate flavor, perfectly sweetened with the tangy cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients for Red Velvet Cake
The red color in this cake starts with a natural reaction of 3 key ingredients (white vinegar, cocoa powder, and buttermilk) so you don’t have to rely on a ton of food coloring. If you choose not to use it, your cake will still taste exactly the same.
- Cocoa Powder (not Dutch process) – adds a hint of cocoa to the distinctive flavor profile of red velvet cake flavor
- Vinegar – activates baking soda and adds extra acid to help maintain the red color in baking
- Buttermilk – adds moisture and flavor, and keeps the cake light and fluffy
- Baking Soda – reacts with the acidic ingredients, producing carbon dioxide which helps the cake rise, resulting in a moist and tender texture
- Vanilla – We use our homemade Vanilla Extract for the best flavor
- Butter and Vegetable Oil – add flavor and moisture to the cake to form a soft crumb
- Flour, Eggs, Sugar, Salt – cake-baking basics that give structure to the crumb
- Red Gel Food Coloring – We recommend using a gel vs. liquid. Gel is more concentrated, so you will need less of it and it won’t water down your batter or frosting
For the Best Cream Cheese Frosting
Follow our Cream Cheese Frosting recipe to make the best cream cheese frosting or use a premade frosting in a pinch. I promise you, the homemade frosting is so simple, that you will never go back to storebought frosting again. It’s the same one we use on our Carrot Cake. You will need:
- Cream Cheese – block style, softened and cubed for the classic cream cheese frosting flavor
- Butter – unsalted and softened
- Powdered Sugar, Vanilla, Salt – for flavor
How to Make Red Velvet Cake
- Prepare – Preheat oven to 350°F, grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter, and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
- Dry Ingredients – Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Wet Ingredients – With a hand mixer or using a standing mixer, cream together softened butter and sugar for a few minutes. Mix in eggs, adding them one at a time and mixing well to incorporate between each addition. Beat in vanilla extract until blended. Gradually add oil and mix on medium speed. In a small bowl, gently whisk together vinegar and buttermilk and then mix it into the batter on medium speed until incorporated.
- Combine – Add the flour mixture to the liquid ingredients all at once and mix on medium speed just until well blended, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Tint – Add 1/2 teaspoon of red gel food coloring and mix just until blended.
- Divide and Bake – Pour batter evenly between prepared pans and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let rest in cake pans for 20 minutes then invert onto a wire cooling rack and let cool completely to room temp before frosting. This batter rises very evenly but if for some reason your layers are not flat, use a serrated knife to gently trim off the excess so that your layers will be level when you stack them.
- Decorate – Make Cream Cheese Frosting and decorate.
Pro Tip:
To ensure even cake layers, use a kitchen scale when dividing the batter into prepared pans. This will ensure that your layers are the same size and bake at the same rate.
How to Assemble Red Velvet Cake
- Add a generous scoop of frosting to the first cake layer. Using a spatula, spread it out evenly and then stack the layers on top of each other, using the frosting to hold the top layer in place.
- Crumb coat with frosting to glue down the crumbs and seal in the moisture.
- Apply a top coat of frosting with an offset spatula to fully frost the top and sides of the cake if desired.
Pro Tip:
Use Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting between your cake layers to enhance the chocolate flavor of the hint of cocoa cake.
How to Decorate Red Velvet Cake
The signature red color of the cake layers is what Red Velvet Cake is famous for, so there is no need for elaborate decorations. After frosting:
- Apply red sprinkles around the top and bottom 1 1/2″ borders of the cake.
- Add red icing sugar in the same pattern to fill in some of the spaces.
- Add coconut or white chocolate shavings instead of sprinkles, patting it gently to secure it onto the sides. This adds a visually appealing texture to the outside while keeping the cake elegant and white.
- Reserve some frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip and refrigerate for a few minutes for easier piping then pipe frosting in puffs or rosettes around the top border of the cake.
Common Questions
This cake was originally served with ermine icing (a flour-based, depression-era, cooked frosting). More recently, it was replaced with Cream Cheese Frosting. If you are looking for a more stable frosting, you can use Buttercream, but traditionally, cream cheese frosting is used (and we think it tastes the best).
We do not recommend Dutch-processed cocoa because it is an alkalized cocoa powder and won’t react with baking soda. Stick with an acidic natural unsweetened cocoa powder like Hershey’s or Nestle (not Special Dark).
The cocoa in red velvet cake does technically make it a chocolate cake, but there are only 2 Tbsp of cocoa powder so it is much lighter and isn’t as chocolatey as a classic Chocolate Cake.
You could make Red Velvet Cupcakes if you adjust the baking time since they bake faster. Check for doneness around 17-20 minutes. You could also make Red Velvet cake pops.
Natural cocoa turns a dark brick red when it reacts with buttermilk and vinegar. Adding red food coloring makes the cake a more vibrant red.
If you limit food dyes in your diet, you can certainly omit the coloring without affecting the flavor at all, your cake will just be brown with a reddish hue, rather than bright red. You can use natural elements such as beetroot powder to tint your cake batter – start with 5 Tbs and mix, add one tablespoon at a time until you get your desired red color.
Make-Ahead
- To Refrigerate: Fully assemble and refrigerate this cake for up to 4 days.
- Freezing a Whole Cake: You can freeze a fully assembled cake in a cake box (cover the box with foil to prevent freezer burn) for up to two months.
- Freezing Cake Layers: Cool cake layers to room temperature then place plastic wrap or parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Wrap completely in plastic wrap and a layer of foil.
- To Thaw: Thaw a fully assembled cake or cake layers in the refrigerator overnight. If you thaw it on the counter, you will end up with soggy cake. Bring to room temperature for 2 hours before serving.
This bakery-quality Red Velvet Cake recipe is a show-stopper and it’s surprisingly easy to master right at home. Plus, you’ll fall in love with the Cream Cheese Frosting and want to use it on all of your cakes and cupcakes!
More Cake Recipes
If you love this Red Velvet Cake recipe, then you won’t want to miss these top-rated cake recipes:
Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more to dust the pans
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more to grease pans
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 3/4 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 cup low-fat buttermilk, room temp
- 1 tsp white distilled vinegar
- 1/2 tsp red gel food coloring
- 1 Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in the center of the oven. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with butter and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
- Stir then sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 Tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt.
- In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar for a few minutes until sugar is moistened and the mixture looks powdery like snow. Mix in two eggs, adding them one at a time, and beating well to incorporate between each addition. Beat in 2 tsp vanilla extract until blended. With the mixer on, gradually add 3/4 cup oil and mix on medium speed until well incorporated.
- Stir 1 tsp vinegar into your 1 cup buttermilk, then mix it into the batter on medium speed until incorporated.
- Add flour mixture all at once and mix on medium speed just until well blended and no streaks of flour remain, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add 1/2 tsp red gel food coloring (add more to reach the desired color) and mix just until blended, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared 9-inch pans and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Let rest in cake pans for 20 minutes then invert onto a wire cooling rack and let cool completely to room temp before assembling with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Filed Under
Hi Natasha! So I dont have buttermilk and is planning to make one by combining 1 cup of milk and 1 tbsp vinegar. Do i still need to add another tbsp of vinegar based on your recipe?
Hi! I would probably still add the vinegar to the recipe to get the right balance of acidity.
SOOOOOO GOODDDD!! I make a quarter of the recipe as a test cake for my birthday, and OMG, it’s AMAZING!!!! I ordered some stainless steel pans to make the full recipe with, but they are like 91/2 inches (maybe a bit closer to 9 3/4). Will the recipe still make enough to fill the cake pans? Thank you sooo soooo much!!!
Hi Oona, that should work, although the cake may be a bit thinner in a larger pan.
Hi Natasha, if I were to use liquid food coloring how much would I use?
I haven’t tried using liquid food coloring but I saw someone else shared this ” tried an experiment with liquid food colouring and it worked. I divided the buttermilk by half and add 2 tsps of liquid colouring until the buttermilk turned a blood red. I first add half after the oil and the other half alternating with the flour mixture and after it was baked it was a brilliant red.” I hope that helps.
This was a life saver. It worked like a charm! Thank you, thank you Natasha and this cake recipe is splendid and yummy!☺️
You’re welcome!
Hi Natasha love love your videos and recipes as always but if I were to use normal red food coloring instead of the gel, how much drops would you advise me to use to get that great red color?
Hi there, I honestly have not tried liquid coloring to advise.
Hi Natasha, if I were to use normal red food coloring instead of the gel, how much drops would you advise me to use to get that great red color?
Hi Laucehele, I haven’t tried using liquid food coloring but I saw someone else shared this ” tried an experiment with liquid food colouring and it worked. I divided the buttermilk by half and add 2 tsps of liquid colouring until the buttermilk turned a blood red. I first add half after the oil and the other half alternating with the flour mixture and after it was baked it was a brilliant red.” I hope that helps.
Hi… Do you think i can use one pan and then cut in half the cake?
Hi Mary, I have not tested that to advise. You would most likely have to adjust the baking time depending on how deep the cake pan is. You could look up a cake pan conversion chart for advice, to see if there is an alternative size recommended in place of the two 9” pans we use in this recipe. You wouldn’t want to bake this in a pan that is too small or you will be dealing with other issues such as burning at the top or overflowing out of the pan, while still being a raw mess in the middle.
Perfectly awesome cake! Thank you for sharing this great recipe. God bless…
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Sammy!
Hey natasha i was wondering
Why do you add the oil after the eggs instead of mixing it in with the butter
Hi Tiffany, It keeps the consistency smoother. It’s important to add ingredients in the order they are listed and as directed. I’ve messed up cakes before by not doing that and even though all of the same ingredients went into the cake, the batter was ruined.
Hi Natasha! Thank you for this awesome recipe.. am a very passionate and a regular baker…I love love the red velvet cake I have made it so MAny times so far..I just love it’s texture Soo moist it’s literally melts in your mouth..I would love to try it as a chocolate cake please can you advise how many tablespoons of cocoa should I add?I would omit the red color.
Hi Ramla, if you would like to make a chocolate cake I recommend one of these cakes HERE.
Hi Natasha,
If I use my kitchenaid stand mixer, which extension/ wand shall I use to mix this cake batter?
Thanks
You could still use the whisk attachment, just be careful to not overmix the batter.
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for the recipe and tutorial!!! You are great at explaining with detail!!
I would like to know if you would recommend to use fondant over cream cheese frosting.
Thank you very much!
Best,
Linda
You’re welcome, Linda. It is my pleasure to share these recipes with all of you who appreciate them. I haven’t tried using fondant as cream cheese is usually the frosting used for red velvet cakes.
I made the red velvet cake for my daughter’s 16th birthday and it was loved by many. Thank you Tanasha for such beautiful and delicious cake recipes! What I love about them most is how moist they turn out. I’ll be making your recipe for chocolate cake for Valentine’s Day. I love your fun personality too!
You are so welcome, Susana. Happy Birthday to your daughter and I’m happy that the cake was a huge hit!
Where are the “notes” you said you would link to on this recipe?
Hi Sheila, if you’re referring to the video notes, when you’re watching on Youtube, you can expand the notes section right under the video.
Hi Natasha
Love all your recipes
Can I use a bundt pan for this cake? How long to bake for?
Hi Rhonda, I haven’t tested this in a bundt pan to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Was wondering what would the time difference be to convert these to cupcakes??
Hi Michelle, I haven’t tried that yet but someone else shared this. “Made this into cupcakes. I got 24 of them and I used an ice cream scoop (baked at 155 fan forced for 19 mins).” I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha,
Hope you’re doing good ♥️
Thank you for this amazing recipe. Have made this red velvet quite a many times and it never fails. This is the best red velvet recipe that I have come up so far.
Just wanted to understand, would the same recipe go for cupcakes?
And what would be the temperature settings then?
TIA💕
I’m so happy you love this recipe. I haven’t tried making cupcakes but someone else shared that they used this recipe for cupcakes and said they “got 24 of them using an ice cream scoop (baked at 155 fan forced for 19 mins).” I hope that helps.
Are you sure temperature is 155?
Assume it would be 350 for
19 minutes.
Hi, can you make a recipe for a real red velvet cake? This isn’t red velvet cake, it’s just chocolate cake with red food coloring. Not only because it’s not a real red velvet cake, but I just personally choose not to consume too much food coloring. I also don’t want to use beets or any other red fruit/vegetable because i’m afraid it won’t taste right. So I basically just want a real red velvet cake but still delicious lol. Thanks!
Valerie,
This is a real red velvet cake. That is exactly how you make one. All red velvet cakes use red food coloring and are cocoa powder based.
hi Natashia,
Im one of your millions followers and i love all the food and recipes your preparing, in fact i have tried most of them. im trying to make “RED VELVET CAKE”
I cant find any buttermilk here in my place, instead i will try a Buttermilk Substitute, combining 1 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon White Vinegar (or lemon juice).
in this case should i add more 1 tsp white distilled vinegar??
please do let me know.
thank you 🙂
Hi! I would probably still add the vinegar to the recipe to get the right balance of acidity.
My first time baking this cake! So moist and yummy!!
You make all your recipes seem so easy.
Great job, Diane! It’s great that you got it right on your first try. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Everyone liked the cake at the ofc. I added chopped pecans to the cream cheese, so yummy. I’m wondering if adding baking powder would have made it rise more?
Hi Elsie, the baking soda should make it rise nicely! I haven’t tried this with baking powder to advise.
so is it supposed to be baking powder? b/c the recipe says baking soda and my cakes did not rise at all, is there a typo?
Hi Olivia, we used 1 tsp baking soda as written on the printable recipe card. I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha! Im so grateful to receive these awesome recipes of yours😍❤️ I have made some of them and always turned out well💕. My boys really loved them and Im going to try more, thanks for sharing! God bless you always and your family👨👩👦💖🌹🙏
You’re great and beautiful! 😘💓
Hello Nerissa, thank you for sharing that with us. I hope your family will love all the recipes that you will try for them.
Hello! Could I use another color? I was thinking pink. Would the cocoa powder mess with the color? Hope I’m making sense. Thank you!!
Hi Pam, it would be difficult to achieve a pink with the cocoa powder in the cake. You might have better success making the frosting pink rather than the cake.
Natasha’s can this recipe be double to make three layers
Red Velvet Cake.
Hi Debra, I haven’t tried doubling it to make a three-layer cake. You would have to modify the recipe. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.