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Sugar & Sparrow

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Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

January 19, 2022 · In: Cake, Featured, Holiday, Recipes, Seasonal, Spring, Valentines, Winter

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I’ve always been smitten with Red Velvet Cake. It’s quite the looker with that deep red crumb, and the subtle chocolate cake and cream cheese frosting combination is absolutely divine. Red Velvet is versatile too – it can be a fancy cake or completely hilarious (remember the armadillo cake in Steel Magnolias?), a total party hit or a cozy weekend bake, delicious all year round. It’s been on my list for awhile now, and with Valentine’s Day right around the corner I thought now is the perfect time. Well, any time is really the perfect time. 

red velvet cake recipe with cream cheese buttercream

This Red Velvet Cake is wonderfully soft and moist, has the perfect touch of chocolate flavor, and is extremely addicting when paired with cream cheese buttercream. I always thought Red Velvet Cake was just a chocolate cake with red food coloring mixed in but I was wrong. There’s actually only a few Tablespoons of cocoa powder added, but it tastes just perfect that way – just like a traditional Red Velvet Cake ought to taste. I was so thrilled when I cut into these beautiful layers! 

red velvet cake with cream cheese buttercream recipe

What Gives Red Velvet Cake Its Color? 

To get the red color in a red velvet cake, you have to add a little food coloring. In the past I’ve used AmeriColor Super Red for this task, but with the ban on RED 3 taking effect in the United States, I thought I’d look for a more natural alternative. I did find this red food color gel that’s made with all-natural ingredients and gave it a try in this recipe. I was a little worried that it would add unwanted flavor to the cake (it’s made with beetroot) but it worked wonderfully and didn’t affect the overall flavor at all! 

I do anticipate AmeriColor to reformulate their red food color gel recipe in the future, but for now I am sticking with Enco Natural Red food color gel for this recipe.

how to make red velvet cake

Cream Cheese Buttercream is the Perfect Pairing

Red Velvet Cake and Cream Cheese Buttercream are made for each other. It feels against the rules to top this cake with anything else (except probably the traditional Ermine frosting). I could sing the praises of this Cream Cheese Buttercream all day long because it’s oh so tasty and just the right consistency for not only filling and frosting the cake, but piping the decorations on top as well. I love it so much that it should probably have it’s own recipe post (next on my list!). 

traditional red velvet cake recipe
red velvet cake with cream cheese buttercream recipe

How to Decorate a Red Velvet Cake

If you Google Red Velvet Cakes, you’ll see a lot of similar designs: plain white frosting and cake crumbs. It’s classic that way. You can decorate a Red Velvet Cake any way you want, but I chose to play off of the traditional design by adding a textured finish with a cake comb, some simple piping on top, and of course, those pretty cake crumbs. I will confess that I tried to top this cake with some more elaborate white chocolate decorations speckled with cake crumbs but they ended up looking like blood splattered glass shards. Maybe a better idea to stick in my back pocket for Halloween. 

what makes red velvet cake red

If you want to replicate this cake design though, here’s how I did it: after filling and crumb coating the cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream, I placed it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to let the crumb coat firm up. This makes a stable foundation for the final layer (and pretty necessary since Cream Cheese Buttercream is always so much softer than other types of buttercream). Then, I frosted the cake with a final layer of Cream Cheese Buttercream and used a cake comb from this set to create the textured finish. I stuck cake crumbs to the side of the cake using this technique, piped a crescent of rosettes and stars on top with Wilton Tips 1M and 4B, and finished it all off by sprinkling cake crumbs over the top. Voila! 

I made a quick video to show you how I baked and decorated this red velvet cake:

If you love recipe videos like this one, be sure to check out my YouTube channel! I’ve got a growing collection of cake recipes, decorating tutorials, and Cake Basics over there. Hit the subscribe button on my page so you never miss a new video.

red velvet cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

Red Velvet Cake Recipe

5 from 11 votes
The classic deep red layer cake that's perfectly moist, fluffy and beautifully paired with cream cheese buttercream. Traditional Red Velvet Cake at its finest!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:15 minutes mins
Cook Time:30 minutes mins
Servings: 15 slices

Ingredients

Red Velvet Cake

  • 2 Cups (212g) sifted cake flour
  • 3 Tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 Cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 Cups (300g) white granulated sugar
  • 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tsp red food coloring* gel or liquid
  • 1 Cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature** DIY recipe in notes

Cream Cheese Buttercream

  • 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 16 Oz cream cheese, room temperature brick-style, not the spreadable kind
  • 8 Cups (960g) powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Instructions

Make the Red Velvet Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and placing a wax or parchment paper circle into the bottom of each one. Measure the sifted cake flour by spooning into your measuring cup and leveling it, or simply sift the cake flour into a bowl on your kitchen scale to measure it. Place the cake flour into a medium sized bowl and add the cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
  • Cream the butter on high for two minutes, then add the vegetable oil and sugar. Cream together on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time. Once the eggs are incorporated, add the vanilla and white vinegar and mix on low for another 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and paddle once more.
  • Mix the red food color gel into the buttermilk. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until the ingredients start to come together, then whisk the batter by hand a few times to make sure there are no large lumps.
  • Pour the batter into prepared cake pans (no more than 2/3 full) and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for five minutes before carefully removing them and placing the cakes on a wire rack or cookie sheet. Allow the cakes to cool completely before assembling and frosting.

Make the Cream Cheese Buttercream

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese on high until light, fluffy, and uniform (no lumps), about five minutes. Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla and salt, mixing on low for another 30 seconds.

Assembly

  • Once the Red Velvet Cakes are cooled throughout, level and torte the layers to your desired height. Reserve the cake tops for crumbles. Fill and stack the cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream. Crumb coat the cake and place it into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the crumb coat firm up before frosting with a final layer of Cream Cheese Buttercream.
  • To create the look pictured, frost the cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream. Don't worry too much about getting perfectly smooth sides, but do run an icing smoother over them to get them level and straight. Then, use a cake comb to create texture. Crumble up the cake tops and add them to the bottom third of the cake using this technique. Pipe a crescent formation of rosettes and stars with Wilton Tips 1M and 4B on the top of the cake, then sprinkle more cake crumbs on top.

Notes

Make Ahead Tips: 
  1. The cake layers can be made ahead and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to two days. Alternatively, you can store the wrapped cake layers in the freezer for up to 2 months before thawing and frosting.
  2. The Cream Cheese Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency. 
*Red Food Coloring: I recommend using any brand of red food coloring that is concentrated and flavorless. In the past I have used AmeriColor Super Red for this recipe but with the US ban on Red 3 I have since switched to Enco Naturals which doesn’t contain Red 3 or Red 40. If you are using natural food color, you may need to add up to 1 tsp more than the recipe calls for if you want a deep red. 
**DIY Buttermilk Recipe: Add 1 Tbsp white vinegar into a mason jar or measuring cup. Add one cup (240ml) whole milk and let sit for at least 15 minutes before using in a recipe. 
To Make as Cupcakes: Use this red velvet cupcakes recipe!

Did you make this cake recipe? I want to know how it went! Leave me a comment below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me. I love to see what you create!

By: Whitney · In: Cake, Featured, Holiday, Recipes, Seasonal, Spring, Valentines, Winter · Tagged: cream cheese buttercream, cream cheese frosting, red velvet cake, red velvet cake recipe, valentines day cake, valentines day cake ideas

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Comments

  1. Abby says

    January 30, 2026 at 12:08 pm

    Hi,

    A quick question.
    I’d like to know whether this recipe can be used for a two-tier cake and if it will be structurally stable?

    BTW love your recipes.

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 30, 2026 at 10:21 pm

      Hi Abby! I’m so happy you’ve been loving my recipes! Yes, this recipe will totally work as a two-tier cake. Just be sure to use dowels in between the tiers for extra structure. Hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Abirami Sockalingam says

        January 31, 2026 at 1:42 am

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
  2. Jos says

    October 14, 2025 at 7:59 pm

    5 stars
    Hi
    I had some issue with the cake being sunk somthing i did mightbhave gone wrong, but my second batch came out so perfect and loved it do much its so moist n fluffy n soft. Thank you for sharing

    Reply
  3. Jos says

    October 14, 2025 at 7:17 am

    5 stars
    Love this recipe. It’s so so good. Not sure what I did wrong but last time I made the cake, it sunk in the middle. Doubled the recipe and followed the steps. Any idea or tips to avoid sinking in the middle? Thank you

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 14, 2025 at 10:47 am

      Hi Jos! I’m happy to hear you love this recipe! Sometimes doubling a cake recipe can cause the over-mixing that leads to a cake sinking in the middle, but here are some other common reasons why cakes sink in case any of these seem like the culprit: https://sugarandsparrow.com/why-cakes-sink/

      Reply
      • Carol says

        December 8, 2025 at 8:04 am

        I have Wilton’s icing colors that has red in it. I also have Adams liquid red. Which should I use and how much to make your Red Velvet cake? Your recipe calls for 2 tsp gel. I need to make the cake today, December 8 or tomorrow the 9th for a dinner on Thursday the 11th. I know it’s a short notice. Please let me know if possible.
        *I’m really following your site and Sally’s for all my baking recipes and tips these days. Your videos are amazingly clear. I have my computer on, watching as I bake. It takes a lot of pressure off the ifs ands and maybe’s of baking….

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          December 8, 2025 at 8:42 am

          Hi Carol! Either of those food colors will work with this recipe. I should change that item in the ingredients list to “red food coloring” because liquid colors will work just fine. I hope the recipe is a hit! And what an honor it is to know that my site and videos have been so helpful 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!!

          Reply
  4. Bailey Wells says

    August 21, 2025 at 5:18 am

    Hi! How many cups of batter does this recipe make?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 21, 2025 at 9:42 am

      Hi Bailey! This makes about 6 Cups of batter.

      Reply
  5. Teresa Carroll says

    August 19, 2025 at 11:26 am

    Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted in this recipe?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 19, 2025 at 12:37 pm

      Hi Teresa! Yes, you can use salted butter but you’ll want to reduce or omit the salt so that it doesn’t end up too salty.

      Reply
  6. Kattie Hurst says

    July 30, 2025 at 6:28 pm

    Hi! I am new to cake baking and am trying this cake for my daughter’s birthday. She loves Red Velvet cakes; they are her favorite. In the past, I always put chocolate chips in her red velvet cakes. Will adding chocolate chips to the batter at the end compromise this cake at all? I am making a layered cake with 2 8″ pans. And if not, what type of chocolate chips would you recommend adding? Thank you very much for your guidance. Kattie

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 30, 2025 at 8:53 pm

      Hi Kattie! I haven’t tried adding chocolate chips to this cake batter but that sounds amazing. I’d try it with mini chocolate chips just because they’re the most lightweight and have the least chance of sinking in the baking process. You could also roughly chop some regular chocolate chips to make the pieces smaller as an alternative. I always use Nestle brand, but any quality chocolate brand will do.

      Reply
  7. Sammie says

    July 20, 2025 at 7:36 am

    Hi! I’m making this in a few days and can’t wait! One question, or a few I guess- I watched your YouTube video on the CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM and that one had cornstarch. Would you recommend that same recipe if I want to crumb coat then have a smooth outer frosting layer as a final layer? I plan on dripping red ganache down the top and sides so maybe I’d need a thicker more stable frosting and that’s why I wonder if I should use the YouTube version of this frosting (with cornstarch) Let me know your input 🙂 I hope that makes sense to you. Beautiful cake!!!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 20, 2025 at 12:33 pm

      Hi Sammie! The cornstarch does help thicken it a bit, but if you’re not doing a bunch of intricate piping you can skip it. It’ll still be perfect consistency for crumb coating and frosting a smooth finish without the cornstarch. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  8. Beth says

    June 17, 2025 at 1:57 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made your red velvet cupcakes and small batch red velvet cake and they were both fantastic! Could I make this recipe as a sheet cake in a 9×13 pan instead of a layer cake?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 17, 2025 at 7:58 pm

      Yay, Beth! I’m so happy you love those recipes. And yes, this recipe bakes well as a 9×13 cake! Add an extra 5 minutes to the bake time and check it for doneness around then. Enjoy!

      Reply
  9. Estefania Sosa Pesantez says

    May 28, 2025 at 10:47 pm

    Hi!!! I want to know if it’s 2 cups of flour or 212gr cause I’m not sure if 2 cups of flour is equivalent to 212 grams.
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 29, 2025 at 9:54 am

      Hi! Yes, it’s 212g of sifted cake flour. If you’re using all purpose (or plain) flour to make homemade cake flour, the gram measurement will be 265g.

      Reply
      • Manija says

        November 9, 2025 at 7:22 pm

        Hello,
        I tried making this recipe using homemade flour . Measured it to 212g . My cakes were slightly hard on the top and seemed over baked. Is it b cause of the amount of flour I used ?

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          November 11, 2025 at 2:43 pm

          Hi Manija! If you’re using homemade cake flour, the weight will be more like 236g because all-purpose flour weighs more than store bought cake flour. So it could be that it didn’t have as much flour as the recipe needed, but it could also be that the cakes ended up overbaked somehow. What kind of oven are you using (convection or conventional)?

          Reply
          • Manija says

            November 11, 2025 at 6:12 pm

            Hi Whitney,
            Thank you for your reply. I realize that the I used less flour than the recipe required. I have convection oven but I have the option to bake it without the fan. Also, how did you calculate 236 g? Thank you

  10. Laurie says

    May 1, 2025 at 8:42 am

    Hello,

    I would love to try your recipes, I live at 4500′ elevation. Have you tested your recipes at higher altitudes? I am particularly interested in this Red Velvet recipe 🙂 TIA

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 2, 2025 at 2:25 pm

      Hi Laurie! I haven’t tried my recipes at high elevation! Here’s a guide I found on how to convert recipes for high altitude baking if you want to give my recipes a go though: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking

      Reply
  11. Mindy says

    April 29, 2025 at 6:45 pm

    Hi can I use this recipe to make a two tiered cake, is it stable enough?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 30, 2025 at 7:42 pm

      Hi Mindy! Yes, this recipe is stable enough to make a tiered cake. Enjoy!

      Reply
  12. Cari says

    March 26, 2025 at 9:36 pm

    Hi! I plan to make a red velvet cake for an engagement party next week. I did a test run with half a batch of your red velvet cupcakes and it was a HIT (making the cake + cupcakes). I’m a huge fan and have your book, such an inspiration!

    I do have a quick question, I just took a look and I see the recipe in your book vs this one on the blog are slightly different; seems to be a change in flour / cocoa ratio, and this one uses 2tsp of vinegar vs the book uses 1tsp. Probably hard question to answer, but which one would you recommend or pick if you were baking for a large crowd and looking to impress? Thank you kindly! 🙂

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 27, 2025 at 9:15 am

      Hi Cari! I’m so happy the test run went well! This blog version of my red velvet cake recipe is newer than the book version. They are SO similar, but this blog version is even more moist and flavorful. I recommend this version for the cake and my red velvet cupcakes recipe for the cupcake portion: https://sugarandsparrow.com/red-velvet-cupcakes/

      Reply
  13. Char says

    March 18, 2025 at 8:50 pm

    5 stars
    Can we use plain flour?

    Reply
  14. Char says

    March 16, 2025 at 10:45 pm

    Have anybody tried this recipe recently in 2025? Please let me know the texture of the cakes (after storing in the fridge)?

    Reply
  15. Christine says

    March 8, 2025 at 7:38 am

    Hi! I noticed the amounts of some of the cake ingredients here are slightly different than the Red Velvet Recipe in your book – do you recommend one version over the other?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 8, 2025 at 2:00 pm

      Hi Christine! Both are great, but this blog version is updated to be slightly more chocolatey and uses less food color gel.

      Reply
  16. Abby says

    February 28, 2025 at 7:18 am

    Hi, I’m trying out this recipe right now and have a question regarding the frosting. I’m from Europe and we don’t get block cream cheese, what would be the best frosting that I can use, that would be ok to be left at room temperature?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 28, 2025 at 8:33 am

      Hi Abby! If you can’t find block cream cheese I’d recommend my vanilla buttercream: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-buttercream-recipe/ or white chocolate buttercream: https://sugarandsparrow.com/white-chocolate-buttercream-recipe/. Either of these frostings can be left out at room temperature. Enjoy!

      Reply
  17. Natalie says

    November 27, 2024 at 10:58 am

    Hi Whitney,
    I just found your page in September when I was searching for a recipe to make a smash cake/cupcakes for my son’s first birthday, and have since followed you on Instagram and bought your book. I’ve tried a few of your recipes (including this one) and everything has been absolutely wonderful – you haven’t steered me wrong once!

    I was hoping for some advice though – I LOVED this red velvet recipe, so I want to make it again for Christmas, but my father-in-law is diabetic. Do you have any recommendations on how to make this cake with sugar-free without ruining its taste?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 27, 2024 at 2:16 pm

      Hi Natalie! I’m so happy you’ve been loving my recipes and book! That means the world to me 🙂 I also have a diabetic father-in-law and have made a cake for him before. It was definitely not an easy feat, as there were lots of ingredients I wasn’t used to working with like almond flour and monk fruit sweetener, etc. I ended up following a recipe from a different blogger instead of trying to alter my own recipes, so anything you try with my recipes would be an experiment. I did find a red velvet cake recipe from the same blogger I used before: https://thebigmansworld.com/keto-red-velvet-cake/ so that’s the best I can recommend so far! I hope that helps.

      Reply
  18. Kathleen says

    October 12, 2024 at 3:38 pm

    Where do you get the cake crumbs from? Even with leveling it doesn’t seem enough. I made your Black Velvet cake for a friend and she said it was so delicious I want to try your Red Velvet Cake for my husband’s birthday. I’d like to decorate it as shown.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 14, 2024 at 12:08 pm

      Hi Kathleen! I had more than enough after leveling. Perhaps I cut the layers a little bit shorter than you. I use a Wilton cake leveler that makes them about 1.5 inches tall.

      Reply
  19. Karin says

    August 14, 2024 at 6:06 pm

    Hey, ive been looking for a red velvet cake recipe and this is the one i’m the most drawn to! Im in europe and i’m not very familiar with the taste of american cakes and their frosting types of combinations. I’m looking to make a themed cake which would be black on the outside and red on the inside and i feel like european cakes doesnt really fit. I am wondering if you’d think that this cake would go with your black buttercream frosting?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 17, 2024 at 8:42 am

      Hi Karin! You’re inspiring me to make a red velvet cake with black frosting!! Those flavors would be amazing together.

      Reply
  20. Brenda says

    August 5, 2024 at 12:35 pm

    5 stars
    Hello Whitney and thank you for sharing the recipe. I was wondering if I can add Jell-O pudding and if so how much?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 5, 2024 at 12:47 pm

      Hi Brenda! I’ve never tried adding Jell-O pudding in this recipe so it would definitely be an experiment. I would look for a similar recipe that does use Jell-O pudding to see how much is recommended to add. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  21. Vespa says

    February 20, 2024 at 9:35 am

    I’m trying to make and decorate this cake for a friends birthday. Is the frosting a good consistency to decorate with and not be too thin or too thick?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 27, 2024 at 2:37 pm

      Hi Vespa! Yes, this frosting is a great consistency for decorating with as long as you use brick-style cream cheese.

      Reply
  22. Melissa says

    February 13, 2024 at 3:43 pm

    Hello, I am planning to make this cake flavor for my anniversary but I only have an 11inch heart shaped pan. Will the quantity of the cake batter & buttercream still work?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 27, 2024 at 2:42 pm

      Hi Melissa! How many cups of batter does your pan hold? This recipe yields about 7 cups of batter.

      Reply
  23. Chloee says

    November 6, 2023 at 3:29 pm

    5 stars
    I tried this with 8 inch cake pans and it worked great! I’m hoping to use the recipe for an 11 by 14 inch cake. Will it work? And if so, how much batter should I make? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 21, 2023 at 10:21 pm

      Hi Chloee! So happy you loved this recipe! It should work with an 11 x 14 pan, but I’ve never baked it in that pan size so I’m not sure how much to scale the recipe. It makes about 6 Cups of batter. Your best bet is to research how much batter that pan size requires and then adjust the recipe from there. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  24. Ella Alexander says

    July 29, 2023 at 7:13 pm

    Hi. I’m going to try your crumb technique to decorate. I was planning to decorate the cake the day before eating though. Do the crumbs last overnight in the fridge or will they harden and become unpleasant?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 8, 2023 at 8:50 am

      Hi Ella! The best way to store the crumbs will be in an airtight container at room temperature. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  25. OLUWAFUNBI says

    March 20, 2023 at 5:24 am

    And also, for the unsalted butter, which brand of butter is best for baking cakes and frosting. From Uk

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 20, 2023 at 9:19 pm

      Hi there! I use generic brand unsalted butter from my local (US) grocery store. I don’t find it makes a huge difference from brand to brand.

      Reply
  26. OLUWAFUNBI says

    March 20, 2023 at 5:21 am

    Hi Whitney,
    I love this red velvet recipe but can I bake red velvet cake for fondant covering or is there any specific type of cake for fondant cakes.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 20, 2023 at 9:20 pm

      Hi there! This cake can totally be used for under fondant. All of my cake recipes are sturdy enough for that.

      Reply
  27. Margherita says

    February 28, 2023 at 1:34 am

    Hallo Whitney,
    I was reading the receipe of this cake, and I would like to try it for my daughter’s birthday. Is it right, that there’s no baking powder, and that for the frosting there’s almost 1 kg of sugar ?
    Thanks for the help!
    Margherita from Germany

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 1, 2023 at 4:56 pm

      Hi Margherita! I’m so excited for you to try this recipe! Yes, there’s no baking powder in this cake, the baking soda does all the leavening when it reacts with the vinegar. And yes, there’s that much sugar. Cream cheese frosting is notoriously soft and unstable unless you use that much or sub in some corn starch for stability. I wrote this recipe for cream cheese frosting that uses a little less sugar and cornstarch, if you use this for the cake you’ll need to double it though: https://sugarandsparrow.com/cream-cheese-buttercream-recipe/ Hope that helps!

      Reply
  28. Auntie A says

    January 7, 2023 at 10:22 am

    Hi! The recipe calls for 1 tbsp of food gel colouring. How do I add 1 tbsp? Currently I use the toothpick method but how would I know I’ve achieved 1tbsp worth of colouring? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 9, 2023 at 9:43 pm

      Hi there! I just add the color gel into a measuring spoon. My gels are squeeze top, so it’s a bit easier to measure that way. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  29. Abena says

    November 11, 2022 at 1:56 pm

    Hi I was wondering if it matters if we sift the flour and the flour I have comes with salt and baking powder already mixed in what should I do .

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 12, 2022 at 7:27 pm

      Hi Abena! I don’t recommend using flour that already has leavening agent like baking powder in it since there’s already baking powder in the recipe. You’ll end up adding too much leavening agent and risk a sunken cake in the end. You are welcome to experiment with it but I recommend using storebought cake flour (or this diy version: https://sugarandsparrow.com/homemade-cake-flour-recipe/), sifted before measuring.

      Reply
  30. Natasha says

    July 28, 2022 at 5:49 am

    5 stars
    I made this cake and was perfect. The frosting was great too.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 31, 2022 at 9:21 pm

      Yay, Natasha! I’m so happy to hear this recipe was a hit!

      Reply
  31. Mel F says

    July 24, 2022 at 6:39 am

    Hi Whitney,

    Looking at some of the recipes and they LOOK awesome, I would really like to try them. The layers look pretty thick, what size pan height do you use, is it 3 inches or 2 inches high. Thank you for your time and looking forward to trying some of them.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 25, 2022 at 12:15 pm

      Yay, Mel! I hope you get a chance to try some of my recipes! I use 6-inch pans that are two inches tall, so my layers end up being about 1.5-1.75 inches tall. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  32. Annie says

    July 8, 2022 at 1:46 pm

    Looking to make a 3 layer 9 inch cake. How should I adjust the recipe?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 11, 2022 at 10:37 am

      Hi Annie! I would make 1.5x the recipe for three shorter 9-inch layers or 2x the recipe for taller 2″ layers. If you double the recipe, be sure to fill the tins no more than 2/3 full just in case you end up with a little extra batter. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  33. Kateryna says

    June 30, 2022 at 4:48 am

    i meant ‘bake’ each part separate. Or is it one big which i cut in 3 parts after i baked it?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 30, 2022 at 2:33 pm

      Hi Kateryna! You’ll divide the batter evenly between three 6-inch pans (or 2 8-inch pans) and bake individual layers. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  34. Kateryna says

    June 30, 2022 at 4:46 am

    Iam kinda confused how many cakes do i bake? do i have to put 3 equal parts and then cake each other one by one?

    Reply
  35. Arleny says

    June 27, 2022 at 12:26 pm

    Hi, I made this recipe a few months ago, gonna give it an other go soon. I made three layers of 8 in but one of the layer just crumbled and came apart. Do you have any idea why that happened? I used a scale to weight my flour and such. Thanks in advance for your help.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 30, 2022 at 2:39 pm

      Hi Arleny! Since this recipe is written for two 8-inch layers, did you alter it to make more batter before dividing it between three 8-inch pans? My only thought is that the cake was overbaked, which would happen if you divided this recipe as-is between three 8-inch pans and followed the time specified in the baking instructions. If you didn’t alter the recipe, the baking time would need to be reduced significantly to accommodate the shorter layers. Does that help?

      Reply
      • Arleny says

        July 3, 2022 at 2:26 pm

        I did 1.5x of the ingredients for the three 8 inch layers. I probably must have missed or added more of one ingredient. It was just odd because it was just one layer not all three. Let’s see what happens when I try again soon. Thank you for your help.

        Reply
        • Arleny says

          July 3, 2022 at 7:52 pm

          Do you use bleached or unbleached cake flour in your recipes?

          Reply
          • Whitney says

            July 6, 2022 at 7:17 pm

            I use bleached cake flour.

  36. Pascale says

    June 18, 2022 at 4:49 am

    5 stars
    Hi, thanks a lot for sharing your recipes they all work like magic and they taste amazing. I am planning to do a butterfly wavy deco with the cream cheese would it be stable? And when do you recommend adding the color to it?
    Thank you in advance

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 22, 2022 at 8:22 am

      Yay, Pascale! That makes me so happy to hear you’ve been loving my recipes! The cream cheese buttercream should be stable enough for that, but here’s a way to make it even more stable: https://sugarandsparrow.com/cream-cheese-buttercream-recipe/. I recommend adding the coloring to the buttercream after you make it (in other words, don’t add the coloring until the final ingredient has been combined). Enjoy!

      Reply
  37. Mel says

    May 14, 2022 at 10:48 am

    Hi, we cannot get gel food colouring here, can I use ordinary liquid food colour? If so, how muh do you recommend and will it affect the consistency of the cake? Mel x

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 14, 2022 at 7:04 pm

      Hi Mel! You can use regular liquid food coloring. You may need to use an entire ounce to get the color deep red, but it won’t affect the consistency of the cake. Enjoy!

      Reply
  38. Melissa says

    March 10, 2022 at 1:17 pm

    How far in advance can I frost this cake?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 18, 2022 at 8:38 am

      Hi Melissa! I usually frost the cake no more than 3 days prior to serving. Enjoy!

      Reply
  39. Katie Plummer says

    March 7, 2022 at 12:23 pm

    Hi, how could I use this recipe to make yhis cake sugar free? Lots of great reviews so I definitely would like to try it out but I have a diabetic in the home

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 18, 2022 at 8:46 am

      Hi Katie! I’ve never tried making my cake recipes sugar free so I can’t speak to the best sugar substitute. Many sugar substitutes that are meant for baking will have instructions on the package for using as a sub in recipes though! I would just choose your favorite sugar free alternative and follow the package instructions for the sugar part of the recipe. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  40. Xiomara says

    February 8, 2022 at 7:52 pm

    Hola quiero hacer tu receta de pastel red velvet pero me gustaría saber si puedo sustituir la mantequilla por aceite , ya que aquí donde vivo la mantequilla es un poco cara , estaré atenta a tu respuesta, un beso

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 12, 2022 at 1:41 pm

      Hi Xiomara! You could certainly try using all vegetable oil in the recipe, but since I’ve never tried it before, I’m not sure how it will turn out. I can only recommend the butter + oil for now. I hope you get a chance to make it!

      Reply
  41. Sarita says

    February 7, 2022 at 4:20 pm

    5 stars
    Great tasting cake! What’s the best way to store it?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 8, 2022 at 4:45 pm

      Yay, Sarita! I’m so happy you love this recipe. The storage instructions for the components are in the recipe notes, but if you’re wanting to know how to store the cake once it’s decorated, I recommend storing it in the refrigerator. It stores best there but tastes better at room temp, so be sure to take it out a few hours before serving to let it come to room temp. Hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Sarita says

        February 12, 2022 at 2:19 pm

        Yes that’s exactly what I meant! Thanks for the tip!

        Reply
  42. Lauren says

    February 5, 2022 at 8:27 am

    Have you added food coloring to the cream cheese icing before? Did it work out? Thinking about using this recipe for some valentines cupcakes!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 6, 2022 at 8:32 pm

      Hi Lauren! I have and it works great. Color away!

      Reply
  43. Chantel says

    January 24, 2022 at 2:15 am

    Hello, I’d love to make a 3 layer 8 inch cake. Do you know how much I should adjust the proportions by?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 26, 2022 at 9:58 pm

      Hi Chantel! I would make 1.5x the recipe for a cake of that size. Enjoy!

      Reply
  44. Rene’ says

    January 22, 2022 at 9:31 am

    5 stars
    I made this recipe and it is sooo delicious! The cake I made was perfect but I tried it as cupcakes and they’re a little too soft, (obviously not your fault since I choose to do that) do you have any tips for adjusting it for cupcakes? It’s so good I don’t want to try to find a whole a different recipe if I can get this to work!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 23, 2022 at 10:20 am

      Hi Rene! I’m so happy you love this recipe as much as I do! It should work as-is for cupcakes – did you use the instructions I put in the recipe notes (bake at 350 for 15-18 min)? If not, I would give that a try. You might just need to bake them for a minute or two longer. If you did follow those instructions and it’s a matter of them being too soft and fluffy, that will probably take some experimenting with the recipe. I like my cakes and cupcakes fluffy though – it’s always my goal with recipes!

      Reply
      • Rene’ says

        January 23, 2022 at 12:19 pm

        Thank you for replying! I missed the note about cupcakes and I believe I baked them at 325°. I will try again at 350° and see how that goes. Even tho they were a little fragile to eat without falling apart, my family absolutely loved them!

        Reply
  45. Alyssa says

    January 21, 2022 at 11:49 am

    5 stars
    I’m not a red velvet fan and I LOVED this recipe! Best one I’ve tried hands down. Thank you for your amazing recipes!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 21, 2022 at 12:58 pm

      I am so happy to hear that, Alyssa! Thank you for letting me know!

      Reply
      • Abby Akinpelu says

        April 29, 2023 at 9:30 am

        Hi. Thank you for your recipe. I was only able to get white vinegar.Can i use white vinegar instead of distilled white vinegar? Or how do i convert it?

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          May 1, 2023 at 8:14 am

          Hi Abby! White vinegar will work just fine 🙂

          Reply
  46. Marie says

    January 21, 2022 at 4:17 am

    Hi!
    Thank you for this recipe 🙂 I am a fan of your recipes (I tried 2 or 3 already and it was perfect every time!).
    I am making this one at the moment but the frosting is quite liquid (much more than the a classic buttercream).. Any tips before filling and covering the cake? Should I make it less liquid by adding more sugar?
    Thanks a lot !

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 21, 2022 at 7:45 am

      Hi Marie! There shouldn’t be any liquid to add to the frosting other than the vanilla. Cream cheese buttercream is softer than regular buttercream by nature, but it shouldn’t be liquidy unless additional liquid was added, the butter/cream cheese was softened too much to begin with, or your kitchen is very warm and melting the buttercream. If it’s a matter of the kitchen being too warm or the butter/cream cheese being too soft, I would recommend putting the buttercream in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to let things set up a little before re-mixing it all together in your stand mixer. If neither of those was the case, you could add more powdered sugar for additional stability, but be sure to balance it with salt to make sure it doesn’t get too sweet. Hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Marie says

        January 25, 2022 at 12:51 pm

        Hi, thank you very much for your answer! I had to throw away the whole frosting. After looking a little bit on several websites, I found an explanation that could be right: I live in France and apparently the cream cheese here(even the Philadelphia brand – the one I bought) contains much water in Europe than in the US, it’s less much firm.
        In the end I did your yellow cake and your vanilla frosting and it was delicious

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          January 26, 2022 at 9:57 pm

          Thanks for figuring that out, Marie. I’m so sorry that the cream cheese is different over there – I had no idea! I’m glad that my yellow cake + vanilla frosting worked out for you in the end. Thanks for sticking with my recipes!

          Reply

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STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE ICE CREAM CAKE 🍓if Strawbe STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE ICE CREAM CAKE 🍓if Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars make you nostalgic for your childhood ice cream truck days, you’re going to LOVE this easy ice cream cake version - no ice cream maker needed 🙌🏼 

Full recipe on my blog at https://sugarandsparrow.com/strawberry-shortcake-ice-cream-cake/

STRAWBERRY CRUNCH 
24 whole (280g) Golden Oreos, finely ground
3 Oz box strawberry jello
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

ICE CREAM LAYERS
1/2 Cup (15g) freeze-dried strawberries
2 Cups heavy whipping cream, cold
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract, divided
14 Oz sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 tsp strawberry jam or preserves

1. Combine the strawberry crunch ingredients and bake on a lined cookie sheet at 350ºF for 4 min.
2. For the crust, combine 1 Cup of the strawberry crunch with 2 Tbsp melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 6-inch springform pan and line with an acetate collar. Place in the freezer while you move on.
3. Using a food processor, grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Set aside.
4. Add the heavy whipping cream and 2 tsp of vanilla extract into a chilled bowl, then whip it with a hand mixer to stiff peaks. Place in the refrigerator.
5. Divide the condensed milk between two medium bowls. To one bowl, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. To the second bowl, add the finely strawberry powder and the jam/preserves. Whisk the ingredients together within each individual bowl.
6. Divide the whipping cream evenly between each of the two bowls you created in the previous step. Fold each sweetened condensed milk mixture together with the divided whipped cream to create the vanilla ice cream and strawberry ice cream.
7. Layer half of each of the ice creams on top of the strawberry crunch crust, sprinkle a layer of strawberry crunch on top, then repeat. Freeze for 6 hours and serve. 
#icecreamcake #strawberryshortcake #nochurnicecream #icecreamlover #strawberry
LEMON CUPCAKES 🍋 after about a dozen recipe tes LEMON CUPCAKES 🍋 after about a dozen recipe tests, this one is everything I could want in a lemon cupcake! Fluffy-yet-moist, bursting with natural lemon flavor, and absolutely irresistible topped with lemon cream cheese buttercream. 

Full recipe (with frosting) linked in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/homemade-lemon-cupcakes/

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup (132g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 Cup (60ml) whole milk, room temperature
3 Tbsp (45ml) lemon juice from 1 medium lemon
3/4 Cup (150g) granulated sugar
3 Tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp (30ml) vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºF) and line a standard cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer and large bowl), add the lemon zest to the sugar and mix on low speed until fragrant and well combined, about 1 minute. Meanwhile, combine the lemon juice with the milk and set aside. 
4. Add the butter to the lemon-sugar mixture and cream on medium speed until and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the vegetable oil and beat until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle as needed.
5. Mix in the eggs one at a time on low speed, then add the vanilla and turn the mixer to medium speed for one minute.
6. Turn the mixer off and add the flour mixture all at once. Mix on low speed until just combined, then slowly pour in the lemon-milk mixture. Mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.
7. Divide the batter equally between the liners and bake for 14-18 min. Cool, then top with frosting of your choice (link in bio for lemon cream cheese frosting)�
#lemoncupcakes #creamcheesefrosting #lemon #cupcakes #cupcakedecorating
April in my kitchen 🌸 I published 5 NEW recipes April in my kitchen 🌸 I published 5 NEW recipes on my site, baked my Oreo cupcake recipe for a fundraiser and found it was just as delicious as I remember, and filmed/photographed 3 recipes that will be on my blog in May (Lemon Cupcakes, Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream, and No-Bake Marbled Strawberry Cheesecake) 🥰 

Comment “APRIL” to get all the available recipes and stay tuned for more! 

#bakersofinstagram #springbaking #cakedecorating #cupcakes #bakinglove
SHEET PAN COOKIE CAKE 🍪 slice it warm for a fud SHEET PAN COOKIE CAKE 🍪 slice it warm for a fudgy chocolate chip cookie OR let it settle into a moist and chewy cookie cake that’s perfect for decorating! My fave vanilla buttercream + sprinkles turn this giant chocolate chip cookie into the perfect birthday cake alternative at the end 🥳
⁣
Full recipe + decorating ideas at https://sugarandsparrow.com/sheet-pan-chocolate-chip-cookie-cake/
⁣
INGREDIENTS⁣
1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, melted⁣
1 1/3 Cups (267g) packed light or dark brown sugar⁣
1/2 Cup (100g) granulated sugar⁣
3 large eggs⁣
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract⁣
1 tsp baking soda⁣
1 tsp cornstarch⁣
1/2 tsp salt⁣
3 Cups (398g) all purpose flour⁣
2 Cups (350g) semi-sweet chocolate chips⁣
⁣
INSTRUCTIONS⁣
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Grease and line a 13×18 inch sheet pan.⁣
2. In a large bowl, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Melt the butter in the microwave and pour it over the top of the sugars. Whisk together until uniform. Add the eggs and vanilla, then continue whisking until uniform. Whisk in the baking soda, cornstarch, and salt.⁣
3. Add the flour and use a silicone spatula to fold it in until smooth cookie dough forms. Reserve 1/2 Cup of the chocolate chips and set them aside, then fold the remaining 1 1/2 Cups of chocolate chips into the cookie dough.⁣
4. Place the chocolate chip cookie dough onto the prepared sheet pan and use an offset spatula to spread it all the way to the edges in an even layer.⁣
5. Bake the cookie cake for 14-16 minutes, until it looks golden brown on the edges and set. 
6. Enjoy warm or let it cool and decorate with vanilla buttercream and sprinkles! ⁣
⁣
#cookiecake #chocolatechipcookies #sheetcake #birthdaycake #cakedecorating
STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES 🍓based on my beloved strawb STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES 🍓based on my beloved strawberry layer cake recipe, this cupcake version is just as moist yet fluffy and bursting with natural strawberry flavor! Between the mix of fresh strawberries in the cupcakes + freeze-dried strawberries in the frosting, the flavor is out of this world 🚀

Full recipe link in my bio (with strawberry buttercream) + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/strawberry-cupcakes/

STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES
Yield: 14 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:
5 oz (143g) fresh or frozen strawberries
1/3 Cup (80ml) whole milk, room temp
1 1/2 Cups (158g) sifted cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, room temp
1 Cup (200g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
3 Tbsp (45g) sour cream, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 drop pink food coloring (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS: 
1. Puree the strawberries using a food processor (you’ll have about 1/2 cup of puree), then place into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 10-15 min, stirring occasionally, until you have 1/4 cup. Refrigerate until room temp.
2. Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC) and line a standard cupcake pan with liners.
3. Whisk together the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
4. In a stand mixer w/ paddle attachment (or hand mixer + large bowl), whip the butter on high for 2 min. Add sugar and beat for 2 min, until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream, turn the mixer to high and beat for 1 min. Meanwhile, whisk together the strawberry puree, whole milk, and food coloring (if using).
5. Turn the mixer off and add all of the dry ingredients at once. Mix on low until just combined, then add the strawberry milk mixture until just combined, about 30 seconds.
6. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 14-18 minutes. Cool completely before topping with strawberry buttercream (full recipe linked above). 

#strawberrycupcakes #strawberrycake #pinkcupcakes #strawberry #cupcakes

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