I baked a Southern Red Velvet Cake from scratch with homemade cream cheese frosting and double layers, and I share my best tips for keeping the crumb light and moist.

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I love baking this Southern Red Velvet Cake because it looks fancy but is totally doable. Every time I cut into the double layers people gasp at that bright color and the tender, almost velvet crumb.

The tang of homemade cream cheese frosting is what really makes it sing, and using real buttermilk keeps the cake unexpectedly moist even the next day. I’ll tease a few tricks for fluffiness later, but for now know this: small habits matter, like how you mix and how patient you are.

If you like bold desserts that feel classic but surprise you, read on.

Ingredients

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Main structure and carbs, little fiber, makes cake tender but it’s not nutritional powerhouse.
Pure sugar adds sweetness and moistness, supplies quick carbs, no real nutrients.
Gives chocolate flavor, small antioxidant boost, slightly bitter, very little sugar.
Adds tangy acidity that reacts with baking soda, moistens crumb, theres some calcium.
Provides tender moist texture, high in fats, calorie dense, neutral flavor.
Binders and lift, add protein and richness, help crumb set and brown.
Creamy tangy frosting base, adds fat and flavor, it’s not low calorie.
Sweetens and smooths frosting, very fine sugar, mostly empty calories.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (about 312 g)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (about 300 g)

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (about 8 g)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup vegetable oil (240 ml)

1 cup buttermilk, room temp (240 ml)

2 large eggs, room temp

2 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid) or equivalent gel

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

8 ounces cream cheese, softened (about 225 g)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick, about 113 g)

4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (about 480 g)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the frosting

Pinch of fine salt

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare two 9 inch round cake pans: grease them well, line the bottoms with parchment, and grease the parchment. Measure flour by spooning into the cup and level with a knife so you dont pack it.

2. Whisk together 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon fine salt in a large bowl. Sifting helps if you want an extra fine crumb.

3. In another bowl mix 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature, 2 large eggs at room temperature, 2 tablespoons red food coloring (or less if using gel), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar until combined.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix or you will get a dense cake, a few small streaks are okay. This is the trick to keeping it fluffy.

5. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans, smooth the tops, then tap the pans on the counter a few times to release big air bubbles. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

6. Let cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto a wire rack. Remove parchment and cool completely before frosting. If you try to frost while warm the frosting will slide.

7. For the frosting beat together 8 ounces softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, then 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of fine salt. Beat until light and fluffy. If it seems too soft chill 10 to 15 minutes.

8. Level the tops of the cakes if needed, place one layer on your serving plate, spread a thick even layer of frosting, top with second cake layer, press gently then apply a thin crumb coat of frosting and chill 15 minutes. Finish with a final coat and smooth with an offset spatula or a regular knife.

9. Refrigerate the finished cake for at least 30 minutes to set the frosting before slicing. Bring slices to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving so the flavors shine.

10. Quick tips I always use: use oil not butter in the batter for extra moistness, buttermilk and the vinegar plus baking soda reaction help tenderness and rise, do not overmeasure flour, sift your powdered sugar for silky frosting, and if you want cleaner slices chill the cake a bit before cutting.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 350°F)
2. Two 9 inch round cake pans plus parchment paper to line them
3. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl (dry and wet)
4. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you wanna be exact
5. Whisk and a flexible rubber spatula for folding the batter
6. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer for the frosting, or a sturdy whisk if you’re brave
7. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for powdered sugar and cocoa
8. Wire cooling rack and a thin knife to level the cakes
9. Offset spatula or regular knife for spreading the frosting, plus a toothpick to test doneness

FAQ

Q: Can I swap regular milk for the buttermilk called for in the recipe?
A: Yes, you can make a quick buttermilk by stirring 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar into 1 cup milk and letting it sit 5 minutes. It wont be exactly the same as cultured buttermilk but it reacts with the baking soda the same way and works fine.

Q: How much red food coloring should I really use, liquid vs gel?
A: If you're using liquid, the 2 tablespoons in the recipe gives a classic bright red. If you use gel, start with 1 tablespoon or even less and add until you like the shade. Gel is more concentrated so too much makes the batter taste artificial or stain everything.

Q: My cake came out dense or gummy, what went wrong?
A: Common causes are overmixing the batter after adding the flour, measuring flour by scooping the cup instead of spooning and leveling, or baking at the wrong temperature. Mix just until combined, spoon and level the flour (or weigh it), and check your oven temp with a cheap oven thermometer.

Q: How can I tell when the cake is done without drying it out?
A: Start checking at the lower end of the time range. Insert a toothpick in the center: it should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. The cake should spring back gently when pressed in the center. If it's totally firm and dry, it was overbaked.

Q: Any tips to get a smooth, stable cream cheese frosting?
A: Beat softened cream cheese and butter until perfectly smooth before adding sifted powdered sugar. Sift the sugar to avoid lumps. Add the sugar gradually and chill the frosting briefly if it feels too soft. A pinch of salt and the extra teaspoon of vanilla in the ingredient list really balances the sweetness.

Q: Can I make the layers ahead or freeze the cake?
A: Yes. Baked, cooled layers can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temp before frosting. You can also assemble the frosted cake and keep it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze a frosted cake for up to a month if wrapped well.

Red Velvet Cake From Scratch Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All-purpose flour → cake flour: swap each cup AP for 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons cake flour (so for 2 1/2 cups AP use 2 1/2 cups minus 5 tbsp). Makes a softer, more tender crumb, batter will be a bit thinner.
Buttermilk → milk + acid: stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup whole milk, let sit 5 minutes until slightly thickened, then use at room temp. Works the same chemically as buttermilk.
Vegetable oil → melted unsalted butter, 1:1: use the same volume melted butter for richer flavor, cake may be a touch firmer but tastes better to many people.
Cream cheese (frosting) → mascarpone or Neufchatel, 1:1: mascarpone makes a silkier frosting, Neufchatel is lower fat and can be used straight across with almost identical results.

Pro Tips

1. Weigh the flour if you can, otherwise spoon it into the cup and level, dont pack it. Small differences in flour are what make cakes dry or gummy so this really helps consistency.

2. Use gel food coloring not liquid and start with less than you think youll need, you can always add more. The tablespoon of cocoa in the batter actually helps the red look richer and cuts any metal-y dye taste so dont skip it.

3. Mix the batter very gently, stop when a few streaks remain, overmixing makes the cake dense. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs not bone dry, then let the pans rest a bit before turning out.

4. Sift the powdered sugar for silky frosting, beat on low then higher speed to get it fluffy, and if the frosting is too soft chill 10 to 15 minutes. For clean slices chill the finished cake briefly and dip a sharp knife in hot water and wipe it between cuts.