Recipe

Elegant Red Velvet Cake

A juicy, tender red velvet layer cake with a cocoa-kissed crumb and a tangy cream cheese frosting that spreads like a dream.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.9

A two-layer red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and clean slices on a white cake stand in natural window light

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Red velvet cake has a reputation for being fussy. It is also wildly capable of being the easiest fancy-looking cake you make all year. This version is juicy and tender with that classic subtle cocoa vibe, a gentle tang, and a crumb that stays soft even the next day. Basically, it tastes like the bakery version you keep trying to recreate, except you get to lick the frosting spatula in your own kitchen.

My goal here is simple: accessible ingredients, clear steps, and a few chef-y tricks that make the cake feel elegant without feeling stressful. We are using oil for moisture, an acidic batter for that signature velvet texture, and a cream cheese frosting that is tangy, smooth, and not grainy. You will also get options if you want to go extra polished with a clean finish and crisp edges.

A single slice of red velvet cake showing a vivid red crumb and thick cream cheese frosting on a small dessert plate

Why It Works

Velvety, tender crumb: Oil keeps it plush, while buttermilk and an acidic batter encourage that classic soft texture and gentle tang.
Bright color without bitterness: We use enough cocoa for flavor but not so much that it turns the cake brown or dry.
Reliable rise: A mix of baking soda and baking powder gives lift and a fine crumb, especially in an acidic batter.
Frosting that behaves: Slightly chilled butter and a short chill before frosting helps it spread cleanly and hold swirls without sliding.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Keep It Moist

Room temp (short term): Cream cheese frosting is perishable, so for food safety, avoid leaving the cake at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If your kitchen is very cool and you are serving the same day, keep it covered and return leftovers to the fridge promptly.
Refrigerator: Store covered for up to 4 days. Cream cheese frosting firms up when cold, so let slices sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before eating for the softest texture.
Freezer (best for make-ahead): Freeze unfrosted layers, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, still wrapped. You can also freeze frosted slices on a sheet pan until firm, then wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.
Moisture trick: If the cut edge looks a little exposed, press a piece of parchment or plastic wrap right against it before covering the whole cake. It helps prevent drying.

Common Questions

Is red velvet just chocolate cake with food coloring?

Not exactly. Red velvet is lightly cocoa-flavored, but the real signature is the tangy, tender texture from buttermilk and an acidic batter. It is softer and less “chocolate-forward” than a typical chocolate cake.

Do I have to use buttermilk?

Buttermilk gives the best flavor and crumb. In a pinch, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup, then fill with milk to 1 cup. Let it sit 5 minutes. It works, but real buttermilk is better if you can grab it.

Why did my cake turn out dry?

Most often: overbaking, overmeasuring flour, or mixing too long after adding flour. Use the spoon-and-level method for flour and pull the cake when a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, not bone dry.

Can I make this as cupcakes?

Yes. Fill liners about 2/3 full and bake at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes. You should get about 22 to 24 cupcakes.

Is gel food coloring better than liquid?

Gel gives stronger color with less liquid, which helps keep your batter consistent. Liquid works too, you may just need a bit more to get that classic red. With either one, add color until you like the shade.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Two 8-inch round cake pans (or two 9-inch, see note in instructions)
Parchment paper rounds
Mixing bowls
Whisk and rubber spatula
Hand mixer or stand mixer
Wire rack
Offset spatula or butter knife for frosting
Kitchen scale (optional but helpful for even layers)

I love a cake that looks like it has a dress code but still feels like a hug. Red velvet is that cake for me. The first time I made it, I was chasing the “perfect” crumb and ended up overmixing like I was trying to win a whisking competition. The cake was fine, but it was not velvet.

Now I keep it simple: whisk the dry, mix the wet, then gently bring them together and stop the second the flour disappears. The reward is that moment when you cut a clean slice and the crumb is bright, tender, and a little bouncy. Add a tangy frosting and suddenly your Tuesday night kitchen looks like it is hosting a very polite dinner party.

Elegant Red Velvet Cake

(4.9 Reviews)

Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 28 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 10 mins

Servings 12 slices

Ingredients

For the Red Velvet Cake

2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (10 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (240 ml) neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or avocado)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 to 2 teaspoons red gel food coloring (or 2 to 3 tablespoons liquid), plus more as needed

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz (450 g) cream cheese, softened but still cool
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
4 to 5 cups (480 to 600 g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional, for extra tang)

Optional for an Elegant Finish

1/2 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped
Fresh raspberries or chocolate curls

Instructions

Bake the Cake Layers

Prep your pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Set a rack in the center. Grease two 8-inch cake pans, line bottoms with parchment, then grease the parchment. Lightly dust with flour or cocoa powder.
Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined and lump-free.
Mix wet ingredients. In a second bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, oil, vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring until the color looks evenly blended. Add a little more coloring as needed until you like the shade.
Combine gently. Pour wet into dry and stir with a spatula just until the flour disappears. If you start with a whisk, keep it brief, then switch to a spatula. Stop mixing as soon as the batter looks smooth. Overmixing is the quickest way to lose the velvet texture.
Bake. Divide batter evenly between pans (the pans should be about halfway to two-thirds full). Bake 26 to 32 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the pans once around the 20-minute mark.
Cool completely. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely, 45 to 60 minutes. Do not frost warm layers or the frosting will melt and the cake can slide. If the layers dome, level them once fully cool.

Red velvet cake batter smoothed into a round cake pan lined with parchment on a wooden counter

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat cream cheese and butter. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on medium until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. You want it pliable and smooth, not oily.
Add sugar gradually. Add 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time on low, then increase to medium to fully blend. Stop and scrape the bowl as needed. Check the consistency. Add up to the remaining 1 cup only if the frosting needs to be stiffer for clean swirls and sharp edges.
Flavor and adjust. Mix in vanilla and salt, then add lemon juice if using. If it feels too soft to frost cleanly, chill 15 to 25 minutes, then re-stir.

Assemble and Frost

Anchor the cake. Dab a spoonful of frosting on your cake stand to keep the first layer from sliding.
Fill. Place the first layer cut-side up. Add about 1 to 1 1/4 cups frosting and spread evenly to the edges.
Stack. Add the second layer cut-side down for a cleaner, flatter top.
Crumb coat (recommended). Spread a thin layer of frosting over the whole cake to trap crumbs. Chill 15 minutes.
Final coat and decorate. Frost generously and smooth or swirl. Press toasted pecans around the bottom, add raspberries on top, or keep it sleek and simple. For extra clean edges, chill the cake 10 to 15 minutes before your final smoothing pass.
Slice cleanly. Dip your knife in hot water, wipe dry, then slice. Repeat for bakery-clean cuts.

Note for 9-inch pans: The layers will be slightly thinner. Start checking at 22 to 26 minutes.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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