Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a velvety-smooth, decadent cake with a moist crumb and incredibly tender texture! It’s topped with a cream cheese frosting that’s creamy and tangy notes which perfectly complement the cake.

Let me tell you about this classic red velvet cake recipe! It’s soft, plush, and unapologetically moist in the best way. Every bite is tender with just the right hint of cocoa and a subtle tang that makes red velvet so irresistible. 

The crumb is velvety (as it should be) and practically melts in your mouth. Then it’s dressed up with cream cheese frosting that adds that tangy, unique flavor that makes red velvet, well, red velvet.

This is the dessert that gets quiet in the room when everyone takes their first bite.

Can’t get enough red velvet recipes? Try my red velvet bundt cake or these red velvet brownies! Also, for a little something different, try this black velvet cake!

Why This Is The BEST Red Velvet Cake recipe!

• It’s incredibly easy! I made this into a super easy red velvet cake recipe by providing step-by-step instructions so that you can make this cake with your eyes closed! For an even easier version, make my red velvet sheet cake!
• This fluffy cake recipe has a tender crumb, rich chocolate flavor that’s perfectly balanced with vanilla for that authentic red velvet flavor.
• Substitutions are provided so that you can alter this recipe to fit any diet! 
• The cream cheese frosting is silky and smooth but also stable enough to pipe and spread onto the cake without becoming runny! 

Key Ingredients

(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)

• Dry ingredients: cake flour and baking soda give the cake structure and fluffiness!
• Natural Cocoa powder has a strong chocolate flavor and since there’s only 5 tbsp of cocoa powder in this recipe, I really want the subtle chocolate notes to shine through. You can use dutched cocoa powder, but it won’t have as much flavor.
• Granulated Sugar adds sweetness to the cake without competing with the red velvet cake flavor.
• Salted Butter and Vegetable Oil add moisture, flavor, and air to the batter – giving it the cake it’s super soft texture that stays moist for days!
• Eggs bind everything together and add texture and richness to the cake. 
• Buttermilk: Red velvet cake commonly includes buttermilk in the batter. Buttermilk helps to tenderize the crumb and adds moisture, contributing to the cake’s soft and velvety texture. Buttermilk is a mix of whole milk and lemon juice, so if you don’t have any on hand, you can make your own! 
• White Vinegar: the combination of white vinegar, cocoa powder, and baking soda creates a chemical reaction that helps the cake rise and adds to its light and fluffy texture. Vinegar also helps to bring out the red color in the food coloring so that you have a vibrant hue to your finished cake! You can also use apple cider vinegar here. 
• Red food coloring: I recommend using red gel food coloring for the most vibrant bold red color. Traditionally, red velvet cakes were colored with beet juice, however, 

Cream Cheese Frosting 

• Softened Cream Cheese – be sure to use full-fat room temperature cream cheese for the best flavor! 
• Butter – also, room temperature butter is critical here too. You’ll want to use all room temperature ingredients to ensure a smooth and silky frosting.
• Powdered sugar – this is to provide both sweetness and structure to this super fluffy cream cheese frosting. Add a little at a time for the best results.
• Meringue Powder – optional but highly recommended. Cream cheese frostings tend to be a little less stable than other buttercreams. Meringue powder allows for the frosting to be easily piped onto the cake without becoming runny.
• Vanilla Extract – use a quality vanilla extract, preferably one with vanilla bean seeds (my fave). Pro tip: If you’d like a whiter color for the frosting, use clear vanilla extract or add the tiniest dab of purple food dye to counteract any hues in the buttercream.

Substitutions and Variations

• Buttermilk substitute: to make buttermilk, all you need are milk and lemon juice or vinegar. 1 cup of milk + 1 tbsp of lemon juice, white vinegar, or apple cidr vinegar. Combine the two, let it sit for 5-10 minutes and you’ve got buttermilk. 
• Dairy Free Option: use your favorite dairy free milk and add a tablespoon of vinegar to make a nondairy buttermilk. For the frosting, use your favorite non-dairy cream cheese.
• Gluten Free Option​: use a 1-to-1 gluten free flour in place of all purpose flour. Use the same quantities listed in the recipe card.
• Vegan Option: follow the dairy free option and also use your favorite vegan butter as well as your favorite egg replacement. I recommend using flax eggs. For this recipe, that would be 4 tbsps of flaxseeds and 10 tbsps of water.

How to make Red Velvet Cake

Prepare the Cake Batter and Bake 

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8 inch cake pans with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting and Assemble

Step 6: Place the third layer on top and add a thin coat of frosting to the outside of the cake then place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Add the remainder of the frosting around the cake and serve. Add any leftover frosting to the piping bag and continue to pipe swirls on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe FAQs

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