My Super-Soft Red Velvet Cake Is the Only Cake I Make People for Their Birthday

Red velvet cake is easily one of the top cake flavors people reach for the most. Next to classic vanilla or chocolate cake, it’s a favorite in many households. And that’s all thanks to the cake’s incredible velvety texture and sweet-meets-tangy flavor. Of course, its vibrant color is just an added bonus.

As a former bakery owner, I’ve baked this exact cake recipe time and time again. It was one of my most ordered options in the shop, and I know how to make it the best. The key to achieving the ideal color? Whisking together buttermilk, white vinegar, cocoa powder, and red food coloring, and then adding this mixture to the batter. This allows you to preview just what your cake will look like, as it’s common for red velvet cake to come out of the oven much lighter than you had anticipated. Once the cake is baked, it’s topped with a dreamy cheese cream frosting as the perfect complement.

Why You’ll Love It

• An instant crowd-pleaser. It’s a classic cake with an incredible not-too-sweet flavor and plush texture.

• A beautiful red hue. Mixing together buttermilk, white vinegar, cocoa powder, and red food coloring ahead of time allows you to better predict the finished color of your cake.

History of Red Velvet Cake

This eye-catching cake has a storied past dating back to the 1800s. Of course, red food coloring wasn’t available. However, it’s said that cocoa powder was used to lighten up the texture of a homemade cake during that time. With buttermilk (otherwise called sour milk) prevalent as well, a reaction occurred when the acidity of the milk met the cocoa powder. This created a cake with a plush texture and red hue, leading to its name. As food coloring became available, it’s believed this was used to enhance the cake’s naturally occurring color even further.

Key Ingredients in Red Velvet Cake

• Buttermilk: Buttermilk is the key ingredient that gives a red velvet cake its signature velvety texture. It not only adds a rich flavor to the cake, but provides moisture as well.

• Natural cocoa powder: Yes, red velvet cake does have cocoa powder in the mix, but just a small amount. Three tablespoons go a long way in providing excellent flavor. The cocoa powder also plays a role in the cake’s deep red hue.

• Red food coloring: This is a key addition to achieving a vibrant red color. In this recipe, we use 4 teaspoons of liquid red food coloring, but you could certainly swap it for gel red food coloring instead (to achieve the same color, use about eight drops of gel food coloring).

• Cream cheese: Cream cheese frosting is the best pairing for this red velvet cake. To ensure the smoothest, creamiest frosting, be sure the cream cheese has been softened to room temperature before mixing.

How to Make Red Velvet Cake

1. Prep the pans. Coat 2 round cake pans with butter. Dust the pans with all-purpose flour, tapping out the excess, and line the bottom of each pan with a parchment paper round.

2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

3. Whisk together the buttermilk mixture. Whisk buttermilk, white vinegar, cocoa powder, and liquid red food coloring together in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup until evenly dark red in color.

4. Make the batter. Beat unsalted butter and granulated sugar with the paddle attachment in a stand mixer. Beat in three eggs one at a time, and then beat in vanilla extract and kosher salt. Alternate adding the dry mixture to the butter mixture with the buttermilk mixture in between.

5. Bake the cakes. Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, then cool the cakes.

6. Decorate with frosting. Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt to make the cream cheese frosting. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate, top with frosting, and add the second cake layer. A crumb coat is helpful here. Frost the top and sides of the cake and use the back of a spoon to create a swooping design.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Once baked and assembled, the cake should be stored covered in an airtight container or wrapped with plastic wrap. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to two days. The cake layers can be baked ahead of time, wrapped, and stored at room temperature for up to one day or frozen for up to two months.

Red Velvet Cake Recipe

A forever favorite, thanks to the incredible texture and irresistibly fluffy frosting.

Prep time 35 minutes

Cook time 25 minutes

Makes 1 (8-inch) layer cake

Serves 12

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the pans, at room temperature

• 1 1/3 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

• 3 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder

• 4 teaspoons liquid red food coloring

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the frosting:

• 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

• 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 tablespoons milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

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Make the cake:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with butter, then dust with all-purpose flour, tapping out the excess. Line the bottom of each pan with a parchment paper round.

2. Whisk 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder together in a medium bowl.

3. Whisk 1 1/3 cups buttermilk, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 3 tablespoons natural cocoa powder, and 4 teaspoons liquid red food coloring together in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup until evenly dark red in color.

4. Beat 1 stick room temperature unsalted butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar with the paddle attachment in a stand mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula. Beat in 3 room temperature large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Scrape again.

5. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Beat in 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture, followed by half of the remaining flour mixture. Beat in the remaining buttermilk and flour mixture until just combined. Divide between the cake pans (about 1 pound, 5 ounces each).

6. Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 27 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Flip each cake out onto a wire rack and remove the parchment paper. Let cool completely before making the frosting, about 45 minutes.

Make the frosting:

1. Beat 12 ounces room temperature cream cheese and 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter with the paddle attachment in a stand mixer on medium speed until combined and fluffy, scraping down the bowl halfway through, about 3 minutes total.

2. Beat in half of the powdered sugar (about 3 scant cups) until combined. Scrape again. Beat in the remaining powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt on high speed, scraping halfway through, until fluffy, about 3 minutes total.

Assemble the cake:

1. Using a serrated knife, trim the rounded tops off each cake layer to level if needed. Place one cake layer, cut-side down, on a cake stand or plate. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the frosting onto the cake, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Top with the remaining cake layer cut-side down. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. For a swooping effect, use a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The baked and cooled cakes can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 1 day, or frozen for up to 2 months. Let the wrapped cakes thaw at room temperature and ice with the cream cheese frosting before serving.

Storage: Leftover cake can be wrapped with plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Further Reading

Why People Are Ditching Their Seltzer After a Disturbing Study

The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Can’t Stop Talking About

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