Vibrant Red Velvet Cake (Printable)

A vibrant red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting for your celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Red Velvet Cake

01 - 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
03 - 1 tsp baking soda
04 - 1 tsp salt
05 - 1 tsp cocoa powder
06 - 1 ½ cups (360 ml) vegetable oil
07 - 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 2 tbsp (30 ml) red food coloring
10 - 1 tsp distilled white vinegar
11 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ For the Cream Cheese Frosting

12 - 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
13 - ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
14 - 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
15 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
02 - In a bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
03 - In a separate large bowl, whisk oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla until well combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes; then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
07 - For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, continuing to beat until smooth.
08 - Once cakes are fully cooled, spread a layer of cream cheese frosting between the cake layers. Frost the top and sides with remaining frosting.
09 - Optionally, decorate with red or gold sprinkles or cake crumbs.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Rich cocoa flavor paired with that classic red velvet color makes it visually stunning and delicious.
  • Tangy cream cheese frosting adds the perfect balance of sweetness and tang.
  • A meaningful dessert that honors the spirit of Juneteenth with a Southern twist.
  • Vegetarian-friendly and serves a crowd with 12 generous servings.
02 -
  • Use room temperature ingredients to ensure a smooth batter and even baking.
  • Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake tender and moist.
  • Check cake doneness with a toothpick at 28 minutes to avoid overbaking.
  • Beat the frosting ingredients until fluffy to avoid lumps and achieve spreadable consistency.
  • Store the finished cake covered in the refrigerator if made ahead, up to one day.
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