I’m sharing my Moist Red Velvet Cake made completely from scratch with a tangy cream cheese frosting and a little secret in the crumb that keeps readers curious.

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I always said a red velvet could be subtle, but this one makes you sit up. I call it the Best Red Velvet Cake because it somehow balances that classic tang with a silky, tangy cream cheese frosting that clings to every crumb.

The crumb is moist and a little dense in the best way, and the hint of buttermilk gives it that slight tang that keeps you reaching for another forkful. I messed with a lot of recipes until this one felt honest, nothing showy just a real cake that surprises you, and yes it stains your lips red in the most satisfying way.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: Gives structure and bulk, mostly carbs, some protein, little fibre, its basic.
Granulated sugar: Pure sucrose, adds sweetness and moisture, no fiber or protein.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: Gives chocolate flavor, a little bitter, has antioxidants and small protein.
Vegetable oil: Neutral fat, keeps crumb tender and moist, calorie dense, no protein.
Buttermilk: Adds tang and acidity, reacts with baking soda, gives moist crumb and calcium.
Eggs: Bind and leaven, add protein and richness, help structure and color.
Cream cheese: Rich and tangy, main frosting base, high fat and calories, adds flavor.
Red food coloring: Adds vivid color, no nutrition, optional for appearance, small amount needed.

Ingredient Quantities

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

1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp fine salt

1 tbsp (8 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) vegetable oil (neutral oil)

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk room temperature

2 large eggs room temperature

2 tbsp (30 ml) red food coloring (liquid) or about 1 oz gel

1 tsp distilled white vinegar

2 tsp vanilla extract

8 oz (226 g) cream cheese softened

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened

4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar (confectioners)

1 tsp vanilla extract (for frosting)

pinch fine salt (for frosting)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9 inch round pans with parchment, then lightly grease the parchment so the layers come out easy.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp fine salt, and 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder until evenly mixed.

3. In a separate bowl whisk 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil, 1 cup room temperature buttermilk, 2 large room temperature eggs, 2 tbsp red food coloring (or about 1 oz gel), 1 tsp distilled white vinegar, and 2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth and uniform.

4. Pour the wet into the dry and fold with a spatula or beat on low just until combined. Dont overmix, a few streaks are ok; the batter should be fairly thin. The vinegar and baking soda will react to give lift.

5. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans, smooth tops, then tap pans on the counter to release big air bubbles. Bake in the center of the oven 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.

6. Let cakes cool in the pans 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges and turn out onto a wire rack. Peel off parchment and cool completely before frosting. If tops domed a lot, trim flat with a serrated knife.

7. Make the frosting while the cake cools: beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter until smooth and lump free. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar, then 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of fine salt; beat until fluffy and spreadable. If it seems too thick add 1 tablespoon milk at a time, if too soft chill briefly.

8. Assemble: place one layer on a serving plate, spread about a third of the frosting, set second layer on top, press gently. Do a thin crumb coat over the whole cake, chill 15 to 30 minutes to set, then finish with the remaining frosting and any decorations you like.

9. Store leftovers covered in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting. Let slices come to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving for best flavor and texture.

10. Tips and hacks: sift powdered sugar to avoid lumps, use room temperature eggs and cream cheese for smooth batter and frosting, dont overbake or the cake will dry out, and if using gel color start with less then add more to reach your shade so you dont overdo it.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two 9-inch round cake pans
3. Parchment paper and cooking spray or softened butter for greasing
4. Mixing bowls (at least 2)
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Whisk
7. Rubber spatula
8. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
9. Wire cooling rack
10. Serrated knife and offset spatula for trimming and frosting

FAQ

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

1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp fine salt

1 tbsp (8 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) vegetable oil (neutral oil)

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk room temperature

2 large eggs room temperature

2 tbsp (30 ml) red food coloring (liquid) or about 1 oz gel

1 tsp distilled white vinegar

2 tsp vanilla extract

8 oz (226 g) cream cheese softened

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened

4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar (confectioners)

1 tsp vanilla extract (for frosting)

pinch fine salt (for frosting)

Q: Can I make this cake ahead of time? A: Yes, you can bake the layers a day ahead, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temp. Frost the next day. Fully frosted cake lasts 24 hours at cool room temp or up to 3 days refrigerated.

Q: Can I freeze the cake or frosting? A: Yes. Freeze unfrosted layers wrapped well for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Frosting freezes ok in an airtight container for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge and rewhip before using.

Q: My cake came out too dense, what went wrong? A: Likely overmixing or too much flour. Measure flour correctly, mix until just combined, and make sure baking soda is fresh.

Q: How do I get a bright red color without using tons of food dye? A: Use red gel instead of liquid, and add it to the oil first to disperse. Also use hot coffee or a touch more cocoa, that can bring out the red more naturally.

Q: Can I substitute sour cream for buttermilk? A: Yes, use sour cream thinned with a little milk to match the buttermilk texture. It will change crumb slightly but still be great.

Q: Why add vinegar and baking soda? A: They react to make tiny bubbles that help lift the cake and give a tender crumb, plus vinegar brightens the cocoa flavor.

The BEST Red Velvet Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap for cake flour if you want a softer, lighter crumb. Use the same weight (about 312 g) or make cake flour at home by removing 2 tbsp flour per cup and replacing with 2 tbsp cornstarch, then sift. You can also go gluten free with a 1:1 blend (use xanthan if the blend lacks it).
Vegetable oil: use melted unsalted butter 1:1 for more flavor, just cool it to near room temp before mixing. Neutral oils like canola or light olive oil work 1:1 too. If you want lower fat, try unsweetened applesauce 1:1 but the cake will be denser and more moist.
Buttermilk: make a quick substitute by stirring 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup milk, let sit 5 minutes. Plain yogurt thinned with a little milk to cup consistency also works, same amount.
Cream cheese (for frosting): swap with mascarpone 1:1 for a similar tang and texture, or use a stabilized American buttercream if you need a frosting that holds longer at room temp. Note, flavor and richness will change a bit with either swap.

Pro Tips

1) Weigh, don’t cup when you can. Even if the recipe gives cups, weighing flour and sugar cuts down on dry or gummy results and makes your batch repeatable. Small differences in flour compaction wreck cake texture.

2) For smooth, stable cream cheese frosting: make sure cream cheese and butter are the exact same temperature, beat gently at first, then finish on medium. If it looks too thin after mixing chill it 20 to 30 minutes before using, or stir in a tablespoon of cornstarch or a teaspoon of meringue powder to firm it without adding too much sweetness.

3) Rescue or prevent dry layers with simple syrup. A quick brush of warm vanilla or bourbon-sugar syrup locks in moisture and keeps slices tender the next day. Do this lightly, you want moist not soggy.

4) Keep layers flat and color even: wrap cake pans with damp cake strips or bake at a slightly lower temp for a few extra minutes so they rise slowly. For the reddest, most consistent hue use a concentrated gel color and mix it thoroughly into the wet ingredients before combining with the dry. Start with less color and add more if needed.

The BEST Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing my Moist Red Velvet Cake made completely from scratch with a tangy cream cheese frosting and a little secret in the crumb that keeps readers curious.

Servings

servings

Calories

757

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two 9-inch round cake pans
3. Parchment paper and cooking spray or softened butter for greasing
4. Mixing bowls (at least 2)
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Whisk
7. Rubber spatula
8. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
9. Wire cooling rack
10. Serrated knife and offset spatula for trimming and frosting

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine salt
1 tbsp (8 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) vegetable oil (neutral oil)
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk room temperature
2 large eggs room temperature
2 tbsp (30 ml) red food coloring (liquid) or about 1 oz gel
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz (226 g) cream cheese softened
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened
4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar (confectioners)
1 tsp vanilla extract (for frosting)
pinch fine salt (for frosting)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9 inch round pans with parchment, then lightly grease the parchment so the layers come out easy.
In a large bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp fine salt, and 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder until evenly mixed.
In a separate bowl whisk 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil, 1 cup room temperature buttermilk, 2 large room temperature eggs, 2 tbsp red food coloring (or about 1 oz gel), 1 tsp distilled white vinegar, and 2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth and uniform.
Pour the wet into the dry and fold with a spatula or beat on low just until combined. Dont overmix, a few streaks are ok; the batter should be fairly thin. The vinegar and baking soda will react to give lift.
Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans, smooth tops, then tap pans on the counter to release big air bubbles. Bake in the center of the oven 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.
Let cakes cool in the pans 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges and turn out onto a wire rack. Peel off parchment and cool completely before frosting. If tops domed a lot, trim flat with a serrated knife.
Make the frosting while the cake cools: beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter until smooth and lump free. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar, then 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of fine salt; beat until fluffy and spreadable. If it seems too thick add 1 tablespoon milk at a time, if too soft chill briefly.
Assemble: place one layer on a serving plate, spread about a third of the frosting, set second layer on top, press gently. Do a thin crumb coat over the whole cake, chill 15 to 30 minutes to set, then finish with the remaining frosting and any decorations you like.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting. Let slices come to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving for best flavor and texture.
Tips and hacks: sift powdered sugar to avoid lumps, use room temperature eggs and cream cheese for smooth batter and frosting, dont overbake or the cake will dry out, and if using gel color start with less then add more to reach your shade so you dont overdo it.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.