Classic Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
This is the best red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting recipe to bookmark: a plush, moist red velvet cake with gentle cocoa, real buttermilk tang, and a silky cheesecake-style cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Dry:
- 2½ cups 300 g cake flour
- 2 Tbsp 12 g natural cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine salt
Wet:
- 1¾ cups 350 g granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temp
- ¾ cup 180 ml neutral oil (canola/veg) for red velvet cake recipe with oil
- 1 cup 240 ml buttermilk room temp
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp distilled white vinegar
- Red gel food color: start with 2 tsp adjust to preference
Cheesecake Cream Cheese Frosting (thick, tangy, slice-friendly):
- 12 oz 340 g brick cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup 170 g unsalted butter softened
- 3–3½ cups 360–420 g powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tbsp lemon juice optional, for a cheesecake-like tang
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch fine salt
- 1–3 tbsp milk or heavy cream to thin if needed
Instructions
Prep:
- Heat oven to 350°F/175°C. Grease and line two 9-inch round pans (parchment bottoms).
Whisk dry & Build the emulsion:
- In a bowl, whisk cake flour, natural cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, and oil until glossy. Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla; tint with food color to a deep ruby.
Activate lift & Bake:
- Stir in vinegar, then immediately add dry ingredients in two additions; mix just until smooth (don’t overmix). The batter should be pourable.
- Divide batter between pans; tap to release bubbles. Bake 25–32 min until a toothpick has moist crumbs or the center reads ~200–205°F (93–96°C) with an instant-read thermometer (a reliable doneness cue for cakes).
Cool & Frost:
- Cool 10–15 min in pans; turn out to racks and cool completely (1.5–2 hrs).
- Frost: Beat cream cheese and butter until satiny. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, lemon (optional), vanilla, and salt. Adjust consistency with a splash of milk/cream. Fill and frost the cooled layers.
Notes
-
Why oil instead of butter?
Many bakers prefer oil in red velvet for guaranteed moisture and a tender crumb, even after refrigeration. If you crave butter flavor, you can swap in half butter, half oil—but expect a slightly denser texture. -
Which cocoa is best?
Always use natural cocoa powder, not Dutch-process. Natural cocoa is acidic (pH ~5–6) and reacts with baking soda for proper lift and that subtle tang. Dutch cocoa is neutralized, so it won’t react the same way. -
Food coloring choices.
Classic recipes call for red dye, historically linked to the cake’s identity. The FDA currently permits synthetic dyes like FD&C Red No. 40 when used as directed, though a 2025 FDA announcement signaled future phase-outs of some petroleum-based dyes. For a natural alternative, beet powder or pomegranate powder can be used, but note that heat dulls their color—best in frostings and glazes rather than baked batter. -
Frosting safety.
Because this cake is topped with cream cheese frosting, treat it as a perishable. According to the USDA Food Safety guidelines, refrigerate the frosted cake within 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F/32°C). Store tightly covered and enjoy within 3–4 days. Bring slices to room temperature before serving for the best texture. -
Make-ahead tips.
- Bake the cake layers a day ahead; wrap cooled layers in plastic and store at room temperature.
- Frosting can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and chilled. Whip briefly before spreading to restore fluffiness.
- For longer storage, the unfrosted cake can be frozen (well-wrapped) for up to 2 months.
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Measuring flour matters.
Use the spoon-and-level method (spoon flour into a cup, level with a knife). Packing flour into a cup can add 20–30 g extra per cup, leading to a dry cake. -
Don’t skip the vinegar.
It might sound odd in a cake, but vinegar is a classic part of red velvet’s chemistry: it reacts with baking soda and buttermilk to tenderize, lighten the crumb, and brighten the red hue. -
Design & decoration ideas.
For birthdays or holidays, garnish with chocolate curls, fresh berries, or a dusting of powdered sugar through a snowflake stencil. This ties into trending red velvet cake decoration ideas.