Red Velvet Cake
- 30m Prep Time
- 30m Cook Time
- 2h Ready In
A classic red velvet cake with buttermilk and vegetable oil for a moist, fluffy texture, topped with cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp distilled white vinegar
- 1 oz red food coloring
- 1 lb cream cheese softened
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 14 of 16 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 76.4 mg
- Iron: 1.51 mg
- Magnesium: 14.5 mg
- Phosphorus: 111 mg
- Potassium: 135 mg
- Zinc: 0.62 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp distilled white vinegar
- 1 oz red food coloring
- 8 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Prepare
- Soften 1 lb cream cheese
- Soften 1 cup unsalted butter
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with baking spray, or grease and flour them.
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Step 2.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Sift or whisk together until well blended.
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Step 3.
In a medium bowl, crack 2 eggs and beat them with a whisk. Add 1½ cups granulated sugar, 1½ cups vegetable oil, 1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature), and 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix using a handheld mixer on low speed until creamy.
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Step 4.
Slowly combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients in the large bowl, mixing on low speed with the handheld mixer. Once just combined, switch to folding with a spatula. Add 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar and 1 ounce red food coloring. Fold until the batter is uniformly red with no streaks. The batter will be thin.
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Step 5.
Pour equal amounts of batter into the prepared cake pans. Shake and tap the pans to release air bubbles, then let sit for 5 minutes. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cakes from pans and place on cooling racks to cool completely.
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Step 6.
While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine 16 ounces softened cream cheese and 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter. Cream together with a handheld mixer. Slowly add 8 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing well. Add 1 tablespoon whole milk and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and mix until creamy. Once cakes are completely cool, frost them.