Red Velvet Cake From Scratch Recipe

I share my Southern Red Velvet Cake recipe from scratch, including a reliable homemade cream cheese frosting method, clear double-layer assembly tips, and practical tricks to keep the cake’s structure and crumb consistent.

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I learned to love red velvet by accident in my grandma’s kitchen, and I’m still chasing that perfect crumb. This Southern Red Velvet Cake sings when you fold in buttermilk and finish it with a tangy cream cheese.

It’s not fussy but it does reward small tricks that keep it moist and lofty, even when you stack it as a 3 Layer Red Velvet Cake. I test things till they break, then fix them, so expect honest tips, a couple of shortcuts I swear by, and yes, the frosting that makes it worth every crumb.

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Ingredients

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All-purpose flour: Gives structure, mostly carbs and some protein, low fiber when refined.
Granulated sugar: Pure carbs, makes cake sweet and moist, no real nutrients though.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: Adds chocolate flavor, some fiber and antioxidants, slightly bitter.
Buttermilk: Tangy, adds mild acidity for lift and tender crumb, its got calcium.
Vegetable oil: Keeps crumb moist and tender, high in fat and calories.
Eggs: Bind ingredients, add protein and fat, help with structure and rise.
Cream cheese: Rich and tangy, mostly fat, makes frosting smooth and extra creamy.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens frosting fast, mostly sugar so very little nutrition.
Red food coloring: Purely cosmetic, no calories or nutrients, can stain hands or teeth.

Ingredient Quantities

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

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300 g)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

2 large eggs, room temp

1 1/2 cups buttermilk (360 ml), room temp

1 cup vegetable oil (240 ml)

2 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid) or about 1 ounce gel

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

8 ounces cream cheese, softened (225 g, for frosting)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (115 g, for frosting)

3 to 4 cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) sifted (360 to 480 g, for frosting)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)

Pinch of fine salt (for frosting)

1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (to adjust frosting consistency, optional)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment if you have it, then lightly grease the parchment too.

2. Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl: 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (312 g), 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300 g), 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon fine salt, and 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder. Sifting helps get rid of lumps and gives a lighter crumb.

3. In another bowl whisk the wet stuff: 2 large eggs (room temp), 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (360 ml, room temp), 1 cup vegetable oil (240 ml), 2 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid) or about 1 ounce gel, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar. The vinegar reacts with the baking soda and gives that classic lift and tang.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until combined and smooth, scraping the bowl. Don’t over mix or you’ll make the cake dense and tough. A few small streaks are ok but aim for a homogenous batter.

5. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans, smooth tops and tap pans on the counter once to release big air bubbles. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pans halfway if your oven runs hot, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.

6. Cool pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges and invert cakes out onto the rack. Peel off parchment and let cakes cool completely before frosting. If you rush it the frosting will slide.

7. Make the cream cheese frosting: beat 8 ounces cream cheese (225 g, softened) with 1/2 cup unsalted butter (115 g, softened) until smooth. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of fine salt. Gradually add 3 to 4 cups sifted powdered sugar (360 to 480 g) until you reach your preferred sweetness and thickness.

8. Adjust frosting texture with 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk if it’s too stiff, beat a bit longer to make it light and spreadable. Taste and tweak sugar amount if you want it sweeter.

9. Assemble: level cakes if needed, place one layer on your serving plate, spread a generous layer of frosting, top with second cake, then do a thin crumb coat and chill 10 to 20 minutes to set. Finish with a final thick coat of frosting, smooth or textured as you like. Keep leftover cake refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting, and bring to room temp before serving for best flavor and texture.

Tips: use room temp eggs and buttermilk for a smooth emulsion, gel food coloring gives richer color with less liquid, don’t overbake, and chilling briefly between coats makes a neater final cake.

Equipment Needed

1. Two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, greased and lined with parchment
2. Parchment paper sheets (cut to fit)
3. Mixing bowls — one large for dry, one medium for wet (or a set you already have)
4. Whisk or electric hand mixer (hand whisk works fine if you don’t mind the arm workout)
5. Measuring cups and spoons, plus a kitchen scale for accurate grams/ml
6. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for flour and powdered sugar
7. Rubber or silicone spatula for scraping and folding
8. Toothpick or cake tester to check doneness
9. Wire cooling rack and an offset spatula or bench scraper for frosting and smoothing

FAQ

Q: How do I get that classic bright red color? A: Cocoa makes the batter go darker so you need enough food coloring. Gel is stronger so use about 1 ounce, or 2 tablespoons liquid if thats what you have. The vinegar and buttermilk help the color too, so dont skip them. If you want less dye taste, use gel or add color a little at a time.

Q: What can I use if I dont have buttermilk? A: Make a quick substitute by stirring 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 1/2 cups milk, let sit 5 to 10 minutes until slightly curdled. You can also thin plain yogurt or sour cream with a bit of milk to the same amount.

Q: Can I swap vegetable oil for butter? A: Yes you can, but the cake will be a bit less tender and may crumb differently. Use 1 cup melted unsalted butter cooled slightly. Oil keeps the cake moister and is the easier choice for that silky crumb though.

Q: Why did my cake sink in the middle or crack on top? A: Most likely overmixing, oven temp too hot, or underbaked center. Use room temp ingredients, mix just until combined, and bake at a steady temp (most recipes use 350 F) until a tester comes out with a few crumbs. Dont open the oven early and let the cake cool gradually.

Q: Any quick tips for the cream cheese frosting? A: Soften cream cheese and butter but keep them cool so frosting stays stable. Sift powdered sugar, add it in batches, and beat until smooth but dont overbeat or it gets runny. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream to loosen if needed. Chill slightly before slicing so it holds shape.

Q: Can I make the cake ahead or freeze it? A: Yes. Bake and cool completely, wrap each layer tightly in plastic and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting. You can also freeze a fully frosted cake well wrapped, but the frosting texture can change a bit when thawed.

Red Velvet Cake From Scratch Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Buttermilk: For 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, stir 1 1/2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar or fresh lemon juice into 1 1/2 cups whole milk, let sit 5 minutes until slightly curdled. Or thin plain yogurt with a little water to the same consistency. Gives the same tang and acidity for the lift.
Vegetable oil: Swap 1 cup vegetable oil for 1 cup melted unsalted butter for a richer, more buttery crumb, or use 3 4 cup unsweetened applesauce in place of 1 cup oil to cut fat and add moistness. Applesauce will make the cake a bit denser and can mute the red color.
Red food coloring: If you want natural color, use about 1 4 cup roasted beet purée or 2 to 3 tablespoons beet juice instead of liquid food coloring. It adds extra moisture and a subtle earthy note, so expect slightly different flavor and shade. For gel color use about 1 ounce gel for vivid red.
Cream cheese for frosting: Replace 8 ounces cream cheese with 8 ounces mascarpone for a milder, silkier frosting, or make a classic buttercream by using the 1 2 cup butter with 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla if you prefer a less tangy, sturdier frost.

Pro Tips

1) Let the eggs and buttermilk come to room temp — or stick the bowl in warm water for 10 minutes if you’re rushed — this gives a much smoother batter and better rise, you’ll notice the difference.

2) Weigh your flour instead of scooping, spoon-and-level is OK but a scale is best, too much packed flour makes the cake dry and heavy.

3) Use gel coloring not extra liquid dye, a little goes a long way and keeps the batter consistency right, and mix the batter only until just combined — overmixing = tough cake.

4) Chill the layers after a thin crumb-coat before final frosting, sift the powdered sugar for a silky cream cheese frosting, and if the frosting gets too soft pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes then beat again; keep the finished cake refrigerated and let it come to room temp before serving.

Red Velvet Cake From Scratch Recipe

Recipe by Louise Nightin

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

667

kcal

Equipment: 1. Two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, greased and lined with parchment
2. Parchment paper sheets (cut to fit)
3. Mixing bowls — one large for dry, one medium for wet (or a set you already have)
4. Whisk or electric hand mixer (hand whisk works fine if you don’t mind the arm workout)
5. Measuring cups and spoons, plus a kitchen scale for accurate grams/ml
6. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for flour and powdered sugar
7. Rubber or silicone spatula for scraping and folding
8. Toothpick or cake tester to check doneness
9. Wire cooling rack and an offset spatula or bench scraper for frosting and smoothing

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (312 g)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300 g)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 large eggs, room temp
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (360 ml), room temp
1 cup vegetable oil (240 ml)
2 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid) or about 1 ounce gel
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (225 g, for frosting)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (115 g, for frosting)
3 to 4 cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) sifted (360 to 480 g, for frosting)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
Pinch of fine salt (for frosting)
1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (to adjust frosting consistency, optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment if you have it, then lightly grease the parchment too.
Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl: 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (312 g), 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300 g), 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon fine salt, and 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder. Sifting helps get rid of lumps and gives a lighter crumb.
In another bowl whisk the wet stuff: 2 large eggs (room temp), 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (360 ml, room temp), 1 cup vegetable oil (240 ml), 2 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid) or about 1 ounce gel, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar. The vinegar reacts with the baking soda and gives that classic lift and tang.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until combined and smooth, scraping the bowl. Don’t over mix or you'll make the cake dense and tough. A few small streaks are ok but aim for a homogenous batter.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans, smooth tops and tap pans on the counter once to release big air bubbles. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pans halfway if your oven runs hot, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.
Cool pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges and invert cakes out onto the rack. Peel off parchment and let cakes cool completely before frosting. If you rush it the frosting will slide.
Make the cream cheese frosting: beat 8 ounces cream cheese (225 g, softened) with 1/2 cup unsalted butter (115 g, softened) until smooth. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of fine salt. Gradually add 3 to 4 cups sifted powdered sugar (360 to 480 g) until you reach your preferred sweetness and thickness.
Adjust frosting texture with 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk if it’s too stiff, beat a bit longer to make it light and spreadable. Taste and tweak sugar amount if you want it sweeter.
Assemble: level cakes if needed, place one layer on your serving plate, spread a generous layer of frosting, top with second cake, then do a thin crumb coat and chill 10 to 20 minutes to set. Finish with a final thick coat of frosting, smooth or textured as you like. Keep leftover cake refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting, and bring to room temp before serving for best flavor and texture.
Tips: use room temp eggs and buttermilk for a smooth emulsion, gel food coloring gives richer color with less liquid, don't overbake, and chilling briefly between coats makes a neater final cake.

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.