When I first shared this red velvet cake recipe a few years ago, I remember being SO excited because it was genuinely one of the softest cakes I had ever made. Now, with over 300 5-star reviews, I’m so glad you are all loving it as much as I do! It’s incredibly moist with that classic velvety texture, full of flavor, and topped with the most delicious, slightly tangy cream cheese buttercream.
What Exactly Is a Red Velvet Cake?!
So, what exactly makes a red velvet cake a red velvet cake?! Think of it as a delicious middle ground between a vanilla and chocolate cake, with a subtle chocolate flavor, a hint of tanginess, and that signature soft, velvety texture.
The tangy flavor comes from ingredients like buttermilk and vinegar, which are classic in red velvet cake recipes. These days, red velvet cake is usually made with red food coloring for that gorgeous deep red color and is most commonly paired with cream cheese frosting or ermine frosting.
For this recipe, I’m going with my favorite pairing: a rich, creamy, and slightly tangy cream cheese buttercream! If you prefer ermine frosting, you can also check out my traditional red velvet cake recipe, which uses the same soft red velvet cake base but is topped with classic ermine frosting instead. Some people prefer it, as it’s less sweet and a bit more subtle in flavor. I also have an eggless red velvet cake recipe that I promise is just as soft and moist!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
SO soft and velvety: This cake has the most incredibly soft, tender texture that practically melts in your mouth.
Perfectly balanced flavor: It has just the right amount of chocolate flavor, sweetness, and tanginess without any one flavor being overpowering.
Cream cheese buttercream: The slightly tangy, creamy frosting pairs SO well with the soft red velvet cake.
Easy to make: You don’t need any fancy equipment or complicated techniques to make this cake.
A total crowd-pleaser: With over 300 5-star reviews, I think it’s safe to say this one is a reader favorite! 💗
A Note on the Updated Measurements
You may notice that some of the cup and tablespoon measurements in this recipe have changed slightly from the original recipe. When I first developed this recipe, I wanted to keep the measurements as accurate as possible, so I would measure an ingredient using a cup or tablespoon, weigh that amount, and use the resulting gram weight as my exact measurement. I did this because I often found that ingredient conversions don’t always translate perfectly, and weighing the amount I naturally measured could sometimes give a more accurate result.
Over time, though, I realized this could be confusing, so I’ve moved toward using standard US cup and spoon measurements. I have not changed any of the gram measurements, so the recipe itself has not changed.
I still highly recommend using the gram measurements whenever possible. For example, 1 cup of all-purpose flour is generally considered 120 g, but depending on how you measure that cup, you can easily end up with a different weight. Using a scale gives you a much more consistent and accurate measurement every time.
The following measurements have been updated from the original recipe:
– Cornstarch: 3 tbsp (18 g) → 2½ tbsp (18 g)
– Cocoa powder: 3 tbsp (14 g) → 2½ tbsp (14 g)
– Vegetable oil: ¾ cup (141 g) → ⅔ cup (141 g)
– Buttermilk: ¾ cup (158 g) → ⅔ cup (158 g)
Again, the gram measurements have remained exactly the same, so these updates do not change the recipe or the final cake.
How to Make Red Velvet Cake
You can find the full list of ingredients for this red velvet cake recipe in the recipe card at the end of the blog post. For easy navigation, just hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page. Here’s a quick visual breakdown of how to make it, and you’ll also find the recipe video in the recipe card below.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) conventional and grease and/or line two 8×3-inch cake pans (I use my homemade cake release).
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using a whisk, mix until well combined. Set aside for now.
In a large bowl, add the butter, vegetable oil and sugar. Using an electric mixer, cream together for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
Add the vanilla, white vinegar and red liquid food coloring, and mix until well combined. Set the mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold together with a spatula until just combined. Add all of the buttermilk and gently fold until just combined. Lastly, add the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Be careful not to open the oven door too early, as this can cause the cake layers to sink. Also, avoid overbaking the cake layers, as this can cause them to dry out.
Allow the cakes to cool in the cake pans for 15-20 minutes before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack to completely cool. Once cooled, frost with my cream cheese buttercream frosting.
How to Decorate Your Cake
There’s no particular way to decorate a red velvet cake, but here’s how I decorated mine using my cream cheese frosting recipe. 🙂
Usually, I would trim (or torte) the tops of the cakes with a serrated knife to make them flat, but these red velvet layers bake up really nice and flat, so no trimming was required. I went ahead and added a generous amount of frosting to my first cake layer and smoothed it out with my offset spatula before placing the next cake layer on top.
Next, I added some frosting to the top cake layer and spread it out with my offset spatula. I then used the excess frosting on the sides to cover the entire cake. I only did a thin layer of frosting and didn’t worry about doing a crumb coat because I was piping rosettes all around the cake. If you also want to pipe rosettes, you’ll need to make 1.5x my cream cheese frosting recipe to ensure you have enough frosting.
I used a 1M piping tip to pipe rosettes all around the cake! If you’re new to piping, check out my beginner’s piping tutorial or my 1M piping tip tutorial.
Once your cake is decorated, pop it into the fridge to allow everything to firm up. This will make it easier to cut. We don’t want the cake to be cold, though, so bring it out of the fridge about an hour or so before cutting. If it’s still cold when you cut into it, let it come to room temperature before eating. Trust me, it’s worth the wait! 😀
How to Store Red Velvet Cake
Because this cake is topped with cream cheese buttercream, I recommend storing it in the fridge. If you have leftover cake, make sure slices are covered well or stored in an airtight container, as the fridge can dry out the cake.
Can I Freeze Red Velvet Cake?
I haven’t personally tried freezing this red velvet cake, so I can’t say for certain how it will turn out, but I think it would be fine based on other similar recipes that I have frozen. If you’d like to freeze it, I recommend only freezing the cake layers and not the cream cheese buttercream, as it may split or become grainy when thawed. Wrap the unfrosted cake layers really well in plastic wrap and placing them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag to help protect them from freezer burn. Allow them to thaw completely before decorating or serving.
Commonly Asked Questions
Why did my red velvet cake sink in the middle?
There are a few reasons why a cake can sink in the middle, including opening the oven door too early, overmixing the batter, inaccurate ingredient measurements, underbaking the cake or putting too much batter in one cake pan. If you’re having trouble with your cake sinking, I’ve put together a whole post on why cakes sink in the middle where I go through the most common causes and how to prevent them.
Can I use gel food coloring instead of liquid food coloring for this recipe?
Yes, you can use gel food coloring instead of liquid food coloring. However, because gel coloring is much more concentrated, you won’t need as much. Dilute your gel coloring with just under 3½ tablespoons of water or milk to make up for the liquid lost when using gel coloring.
This recipe uses 3½ tablespoons of liquid food coloring, but using that much gel coloring would be far too concentrated. The additional liquid also helps thin out the batter, resulting in a fluffier, more velvety cake.
Can I use a different size pan?
Yes, you can use a different size cake pan, but you’ll need to adjust the amount of batter you use depending on the size of your pan. This recipe is designed to be divided between two 8-inch cake pans, and I don’t recommend putting all of the batter into one 8-inch pan. Because this is a soft cake, too much batter in one pan can cause the center to sink as it bakes, while the edges can overbake before the center is fully cooked.
For example, 1x this recipe can also be baked as one 10-inch cake, as the larger pan provides enough surface area for the batter to bake properly. The important thing is to avoid baking a very tall cake and then torting it into layers. This red velvet cake is best baked as individual layers, which helps the cake bake more evenly and prevents the edges from becoming overbaked before the center is fully cooked.
Can I use this recipe to make red velvet cupcakes?
For a cupcake version of this recipe, check out my red velvet cupcake recipe. It’s essentially a smaller quantity of this recipe, making just enough for 12 cupcakes!
Can I use a buttermilk substitute?
Yes, a buttermilk substitute will work perfectly fine in this recipe. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can learn how to make your own buttermilk substitute here.
Soft Red Velvet Cake
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cake
- 2¼ cups (275 g) all-purpose flour - regular all purpose (see note 1 if you want to use cake flour)
- 2½ tbsps (18 g) cornstarch
- 2½ tbsps (14 g) cocoa powder - unsweetened. Natural cocoa powder preferred (see note 2)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt - see note 3
- 6 tbsps (86 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
- ⅔ cup (141 g) unflavoured vegetable oil - I use canola
- 1¾ cups (344 g) white granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs - room temperature
- 1 tbsp (12 g) vanilla extract/essence
- 1½ tsps white vinegar
- 3½ tbsps (38 g) red liquid food colouring
- ⅔ cup (158 g) buttermilk - room temperature
Cream Cheese Buttercream
- 1 batch of my cream cheese buttercream frosting recipe - see note 4 if piping rosettes around the cake like I have
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) conventional (see note 5 if using a convection oven with a fan) and grease and/or line two 8x3-inch cake pans (I use my homemade cake release).
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using a whisk, mix until well combined. Set aside for now.
- In a large bowl, add the butter, vegetable oil and sugar. Using an electric mixer (see note 6), cream together for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
- Add the vanilla, vinegar and red liquid food coloring, and mix until well combined. Set the mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold together with a spatula until just combined. Add all of the buttermilk and gently fold until just combined. Lastly, add the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix (see note 7).
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Be careful not to open the oven door too early, as this can cause the cake layers to sink (see note 8). Also, avoid overbaking the cake layers, as this can cause them to dry out.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the cake pans for 15-20 minutes before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack to completely cool. Once cooled, frost with my cream cheese frosting (see blog post above for decorating ideas). Once your cake is decorated, pop it into the fridge for 30 minutes to allow everything to firm up (see note 9).
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
715 Comments
Hi!! The place where I live is at an altitude of 2300 meters above sea level. Should I use the same amount of ingredientes or do I need to change something? Thanks ☺️
Hi Nicol! 😊
I’m not very familiar with high altitude baking, so I’m not too sure about the exact adjustments needed sorry! If you do try it, I would recommend keeping an eye on the bake time and checking the cake early, as things can bake faster at higher altitudes. Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the recipe! 😊
Hi! Love this recipe! By chance do you have a recipe for a pink velvet cake where no cocoa powder is used?
Hi Chanel! So glad you’re enjoying this recipe 😀
The closest I have to that is my white cake recipe which you can find here: https://cakesbymk.com/recipe/moist-white-cake/
Hope that helps!
When using x1 of ingredients the cake is perfect but I needed a larger cake so used x2 of ingredients in larger tins this needed 45 to 50 minutes in the oven to get the middle of the cakes cooked but then an inch or so of the outside of each cake was over baked and unpleasant to eat. Any tips to make this a large cake to feed 25ish would be appreciated thank you
Hi Jane! 🙂 When doubling the recipe for a larger cake, the edges can cook faster than the middle especially if the cake tins used are too small. I recommend using large enough tins like 10 inch tins where the thickness of the cake layers are similar to the original recipe (if the tins are not large enough the cake layers will be too thick and take too long to bake). Other things that help can be to lower the oven temperature slightly and bake longer, or using cake strips to help prevent over-baking/browning. Hope that helps for next time 🙂
I love red velvet cake, and had attempted one last year without much success. The other day my friend’s daughter requested it for her 11th birthday, so I came to the internet to find a new recipe. This one worked perfectly! I had cake flour, so I used that, and I also had gel food coloring so I used about 1 ½ tsp and then 3 tbsp water. Came out great and it was gone in less than 24 hours! Oh, and the frosting was the best cream cheese frosting I have tried. Thank you for making a little girl happy!
Yay! So happy to hear it was a success Valerie 🙂
This was the decadent red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting I remember from my childhood. MK’s pro tips for every step of the recipe make it fool proof! Cake flour is a must! Thank you for this incredible recipe. It recieved rave reviews at a dinner party AND most importantly with my family! This is as good as Mom’s!!!
Aww I am so glad to hear you and your family loved the recipe Laura! 😀
Really appreciate the wonderful feedback 🙂
Can I get Measurements for 2kg 8inch size cake of red velvet with butter cream frosting with extra decoration of top.
Hi Reshma! 😊 I’m so sorry I don’t know the exact measurements needed to make a 2 kg cake, as the final weight will depend on the amount of frosting and decoration as well. This recipe as written makes two 8-inch cake layers 🙂
Hi MK
I tried this cake yesterday for valentine’s day and surprised my husband. It turned out so perfect, it was moist and delicious.
I am a new baker, so this was an achievement for me.
Thank you, i even tried your Swiss meringue buttercream recipe with it which was soo good.
Aww that makes me so happy Sakshi! So glad it turned out awesome and that you enjoyed the Swiss meringue buttercream too 😀
My sister has tried this recipe twice and
Both times the cake and cup cakes sank. She said the batter was quite “pourable”. All ingredients are fresh. She tried cutting back on the oil a bit and the cake still fell. Any idea what may be going on?
Hi Laureen 😊 So sorry to hear the cake isn’t quite turning out how you and your sister hoped! If the batter was quite pourable, that sounds like something may have been off with the ingredient quantities, as the batter shouldn’t be that loose. I’d recommend checking that all the ingredients were measured using the gram measurements in the recipe, as this will give the most accurate results.
Also, make sure the butter is properly creamed with the sugar. The butter should be at room temperature but still slightly firm. If it’s too soft or warm, it won’t cream properly and can result in a much looser batter.
A few other things I’d recommend checking are that the oven is fully preheated and reaching the correct temperature, that the batter is divided between two 8-inch cake tins rather than putting too much batter into one pan, and that the cakes are fully baked and the centres are set before opening the oven door and removing them from the oven. Hope that helps for next time 🙂
Hi Ma’am
How much serving is this ?
Hi Pawandeep! You can get 12 large slices out of this cake, or about 20-25 smaller servings (if cutting into smaller rectangles) 🙂
Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the recipe!
Can I make this recipe in a 9×13 pan
Hi Vicki! 😊 Yes you can make this recipe in a 9×13-inch pan. You can use the recipe as written, but the cake will likely be a little thinner and bake slightly faster, so I’d recommend reducing the baking time slightly and keeping an eye on it. Check the centre with a skewer to make sure it’s fully baked before removing it from the oven 🙂
this is the best recipe i ve seen so far and i appreciate the fact that it was properly explained, thank you very much for this .
Thanks so much Lady Deborah 😀
So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Hi mk
How to make butter milk
Hi Liza! Check out this blog post 🙂 https://cakesbymk.com/recipe/how-to-make-buttermilk/
This is the most delicious red velvet cake recipe I’ve ever made. The cake is soft, moist and melts in your mouth. The cream cheese is divine and pairs well with this moist cake. I’m never making any other red velvet recipe from now on. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
MK,
I am new to the baking world and always looking for “easy but home made” recipes. This was a really fun to make with my daughter and easy for someone new to the baking world. I do have 2 questions that maybe you could help me with. My cake had a bit of a dip in the center after baking. I used springform pans and have a fan oven so what did I do wrong? Second, I made my own cream cheese icing and therefore kept the cake in the fridge so after a day it did become dry. Any tips on how to store it better?
Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Hi Heather 🙂 So glad you and your daughter enjoyed making the cake together, that makes me so happy to hear!
A dip in the center can be caused by a few things, I recommend checking out this blog post for more info: https://cakesbymk.com/recipe/why-did-my-cake-sink-in-the-middle/
As for the dryness, cakes can dry out in the fridge, especially if they’re not stored properly. To keep it fresher, I recommend storing the cake in an airtight container 🙂
You could also let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving to help soften the texture. For more baking tips, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRy1KuFMdOo
Hope that helps and I can’t wait for you to try more recipes Heather! 😀