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.
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!
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.
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!).
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.
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
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
- 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.
- 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.
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!
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
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
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/
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….
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!!
Hi! How many cups of batter does this recipe make?
Thank you!
Hi Bailey! This makes about 6 Cups of batter.
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted in this recipe?
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.
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
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.
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!!!
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!
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?
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!
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.
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.
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 ?
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)?
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
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
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
Hi can I use this recipe to make a two tiered cake, is it stable enough?
Hi Mindy! Yes, this recipe is stable enough to make a tiered cake. Enjoy!
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! 🙂
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/
Hello! I’m going to be making a red velvet cake for my nephews wedding. I would also like to use the enco naturals red food coloring as mentioned above. Is that what you used in the cake pictured with this recipe? How much did you use to get the beautiful color? Thank you for the lovely recipes!
Hi CJ! The cake pictured wasn’t made with ENCO Naturals, but my small batch red velvet cake is! This blog post shows the color that the cake ends up with ENCO Naturals: https://sugarandsparrow.com/small-batch-red-velvet-cake/ For this full-sized version, I’d recommend 2-3 teaspoons of the natural food coloring. Keep in mind that the color will darken as it bakes, so don’t worry about getting the exact right shade at first. Hope that helps!
Can we use plain flour?
Have anybody tried this recipe recently in 2025? Please let me know the texture of the cakes (after storing in the fridge)?
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?
Hi Christine! Both are great, but this blog version is updated to be slightly more chocolatey and uses less food color gel.
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?
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!