Red Velvet Cake Recipe From Scratch
This red velvet cake recipe from scratch is everything you want in a classic layer cake — soft, moist, and topped with the smoothest cream cheese frosting. Made with cake flour, buttermilk, cocoa powder, and just the right amount of red food coloring, it bakes up into two beautiful layers with that iconic red-and- white bakery look.
I love red velvet because it’s not too rich, not too sweet, and the slight cocoa flavor pairs perfectly with tangy cream cheese frosting. Once you make red velvet cake from scratch, you’ll never go back to a box mix — the texture is softer, the flavor is deeper, and the whole cake just feels more special.
The batter comes together with simple mixing (no fancy techniques required), and the frosting is smooth, creamy, and ridiculously easy to spread. Perfect for birthdays, holidays, Valentine’s Day, or anytime you want a show-stopping dessert.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, moist layers — Cake flour and buttermilk create the most tender crumb you’ll ever taste in a red velvet cake.
- Classic cream cheese frosting — Smooth, tangy, and perfectly sweet — the only frosting red velvet deserves.
- Made completely from scratch — No box mix, just real ingredients you can pronounce.
- Bakery-style results at home — That iconic red-and-white look that screams celebration.
- Perfect for any occasion — Birthdays, holidays, Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or just because.
- Simple mixing, no fancy techniques — If you can whisk and fold, you can make this cake.
- Make-ahead friendly — Bake the layers a day ahead and frost when ready to serve.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar
- 8 oz (1 block) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Cake flour: Cake flour gives red velvet its soft, fine crumb. If you do not have cake flour, use all-purpose flour with a small amount of cornstarch as a substitute, but cake flour gives the best texture.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds moisture and a slight tang. It also works with the baking soda and vinegar to help the cake rise.
- Cocoa powder: Red velvet is not a full chocolate cake, so the cocoa is subtle. Use unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Vegetable oil: Oil keeps the cake moist and soft. Canola oil or another neutral oil also works.
- Red food coloring: Liquid red food coloring gives the cake its classic color. Gel food coloring can be used, but start with less because it is stronger.
- White distilled vinegar: Vinegar helps create the tender red velvet texture and balances the sweetness.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat block-style cream cheese for the thickest frosting. Tub cream cheese is softer and can make the icing loose.
- Butter: Softened butter blends smoothly with the cream cheese and helps the frosting hold its shape.
- Powdered sugar: Sift it if it looks lumpy so the frosting turns smooth.
How to Make Red Velvet Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, red food coloring, vanilla extract, and white distilled vinegar until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix just until the batter is smooth and no dry streaks remain.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops gently.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10–15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
- Make the icing by beating the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Beat until the frosting is smooth, thick, and spreadable.
- Place one cake layer on a cake plate or turntable. Spread a layer of cream cheese icing over the top.
- Add the second cake layer, then frost the top and sides of the cake.
- Decorate with extra red velvet cake crumbs if desired. Chill briefly before slicing for cleaner layers.
Expert Tips
- Measure cake flour carefully so the cake stays light instead of dense.
- Do not overmix the batter once the flour is added; mix only until smooth.
- Use room-temperature eggs and buttermilk for a more even batter.
- Line the pans with parchment paper so the cake layers release cleanly.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting, or the icing will melt.
- Use softened, not melted, butter for the cream cheese frosting.
- Chill the frosted cake for 20–30 minutes before slicing for neater cuts.
- Save a few cake crumbs from leveling the cake to decorate the top.
Storage & Freezing
- Store Red Velvet Cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because the frosting contains cream cheese, it should be kept chilled when you are not serving it.
- For the best texture, let slices sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before serving. This softens the frosting and brings back the cake’s tender crumb.
- To freeze, wrap unfrosted cake layers tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting. You can also freeze frosted slices in airtight containers for up to 1 month, then thaw in the fridge.
Variations
- Cupcakes: Divide the batter into lined muffin pans and bake until the centers spring back.
- Sheet cake: Bake the batter in a 9×13-inch pan and spread the frosting over the top.
- Extra cocoa flavor: Add 1 extra tablespoon cocoa powder for a slightly deeper flavor.
- Vanilla cream cheese frosting: Keep the frosting simple and smooth with extra vanilla.
- Cake crumb border: Press red velvet crumbs around the edges for a pretty bakery-style finish.
Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, red food coloring, vanilla extract, and white distilled vinegar.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- Place one cooled cake layer on a cake plate. Spread cream cheese frosting over the top.
- Add the second cake layer and frost the top and sides of the cake.
- Decorate with red velvet cake crumbs if desired.
- Chill briefly before slicing for cleaner pieces.
Nutrition
Notes
- Use cake flour for the softest crumb.
- Do not overmix the batter after combining the wet and dry ingredients.
- Cool the cake completely before adding cream cheese frosting.
- Use full-fat block cream cheese for the thickest icing.
- Chill the frosted cake before slicing for neater layers.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!FAQs
Red velvet has a mild cocoa flavor with a soft, tangy sweetness from the buttermilk and cream cheese frosting. It is not as chocolatey as a chocolate cake.
Yes. You can make a quick substitute by adding 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup milk, then letting it sit for 5 minutes.
Yes, but the cake may be slightly less tender. Cake flour gives the softest, lightest texture.
Vinegar helps activate the baking soda and adds to the tender texture. It also supports the classic tangy flavor of red velvet.
Yes. Bake the cake layers one day ahead, wrap them well, and refrigerate. Frost the cake the next day.
Yes. Since this cake has cream cheese frosting, store it covered in the refrigerator.
Red velvet has a much milder cocoa flavor than chocolate cake, with a distinctive tangy taste from buttermilk and vinegar. The texture is also softer and more tender, and the classic red color combined with white cream cheese frosting makes it visually iconic. Think of red velvet as its own category — not just colored chocolate cake.
Store the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavor actually gets better after a day as the cake absorbs the frosting. You can also freeze unfrosted layers wrapped tightly for up to 3 months — thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting.
More Recipes You Will Like :
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
