Southern Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Red velvet cake birthday cake, Christmas cake, Valentine's day cake, even a "just because it's Tuesday" cake: sign me up. This iconic Southern classic doesn't need a special occasion to shine, but when you do serve it for a celebration, it always steals the show.

Red velvet cake has always been a favorite of mine, and this recipe makes pulling out that KitchenAid mixer totally worth it. If you're new around here, you may not know that I tend to gravitate towards easy, dump-and-stir types of dessert recipes. Baking is not necessarily "my favorite thing" so when I do share a more involved recipe you know it's got to be good.

Slice of red velvet cake on a white plate with a bite on a red handled fork with another slice on a plate and platter of cake in the background.

Traditionally, classic red velvet cake was paired with ermine frosting, a boiled milk icing that's a little high-maintenance and if you ask me, not nearly as delicious as a tangy cream cheese frosting.

That's why I went all-in with a double batch of cream cheese frosting here because if you're going to bake a layer cake from scratch, the last thing you want is to run out of frosting midway through. (That's the worst!)

Even though this cake is from scratch, it's fairly easy to make. And once you get a bite of those melt-in-your mouth delicious layers you'll be so glad you did make it. My secret: the combination of oil and buttermilk keeps the cake soft and moist and the subtle hint of cocoa complements the tangy, sweet cream cheese frosting without overpowering the cake.

Slices of red velvet cake on green plates with a bite on a red handled fork with a platter of cake off to the side.

This is one of those classic Southern recipes you need to know by heart--trust me. Everyone is going to beg for a second (or third) slice. It's the perfect ending to some of my other Southern favorites: Charleston shrimp and grits, easy chicken and dumplings, and Dutch oven bbq pulled pork.

Heck, it'll even make a meal of my homemade hamburger helper without milk feel special. Have I convinced you yet? Thought so. Let's get to it!

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Tasty Tip
Frequently asked questions
Related
Pairing
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Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
Food safety

Ingredients

Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this best red velvet cake recipe:

all-purpose flour
granulated sugar
cocoa powder
baking soda
kosher salt
vegetable oil
whole buttermilk
large eggs
vanilla extract
white vinegar
red food coloring (gel or liquid)
homemade cream cheese frosting

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get baking!

Mixing the dry ingredients together for red velvet cake in a green KitchenAid mixer.

First, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

An egg cracked into a bowl of red velvet cake batter in a green mixer.

Then, slowly add the vegetable oil and buttermilk until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears.

Dividing red velvet cake batter between cake pans.

Next, beat in the vanilla, vinegar, and red food coloring. Divide the cake batter evenly between 3 (9-inch) round cake pans and bake at 325°F for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Spreading cream cheese frosting onto red velvet cake.

Finally, spread the cream cheese icing between the layers and on the tops and sides of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Hint: Before frosting, I wrap the cooled red velvet cake layers and refrigerate them for about 1 hour. Then, I spread the frosting between the layers of the cake and add a thin layer of frosting on the tops and side. (This is called a crumb coating.)

Finally, I refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow the frosting to set up before giving the cake a final coat. This will make the final frosting step much easier.

Hint #2: Use an ice cream scoop to make sure each cake pan gets an equal amount of batter.

Substitutions

Out of something? Need some ingredient substitutions? I've got you covered:

All-purpose flour - For a lighter cake, substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour. I recommend refrigerating the cake layers before frosting if you end up using cake flour. The layers will be much more fragile.
Buttermilk - Both whole buttermilk and low-fat buttermilk will work. Note the batter will be on the thin side if you use low-fat. Or, make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup whole milk and let it stand until the milk thickens.
Red food coloring - For this recipe, I use all-natural red gel food coloring. Feel free to use regular liquid food coloring if you'd like. One 1-ounce bottle equals 2 tablespoons.

Variations

Check out these additional ways to change up this recipe:

Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe - Instead of one big layer cake, make cupcakes. The amount of batter will yield about 18 cupcakes when filled ¾ full.
Red Velvet Sheet Cake - Pour the batter into a greased 13- x 9-inch baking pan and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You'll only need half the amount of cream cheese frosting for the top.
Red Velvet Cake with Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting - Instead of regular cream cheese frosting, double my raspberry cream cheese frosting recipe and swap out cream for the lemon juice. (Lemon juice doesn't pair well with chocolate-flavored cake.)
Red Velvet Cake with Pecans - Coat the tops and sides of the cake with toasted chopped pecans to add a little nuttiness and crunch.

Equipment

Here's the equipment you'll need to make this perfect red velvet cake:

dry measuring cups
liquid measuring cups
measuring spoons
3 (9-inch) cake pans
heavy-duty electric mixer
rubber spatula
wire cooling racks
offset spatula

Storage

To refrigerate: If unfrosted, wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Store the frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Let it soften at room temperature before using.

If frosted, wrap the leftover cake with plastic wrap or cover with a cake dome and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Press parchment paper directly against the cake if it's sliced to prevent it from drying out.

To freeze: For an unfrosted cake, freeze the cake layers separately from the frosting. Wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Store the frosting in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months.

If the cake is frosted, wrap the entire cake with plastic wrap (it's best if it's been refrigerated first so the frosting is hardened). Wrap slices of cake in press and seal or plastic wrap and transfer to an airtight container and freeze for 1 month.

Tasty Tip

Forget to pull the eggs out of the fridge to allow them to come to room temperature? That's okay. Just place them in a glass of room temperature tap water and they'll warm up in no time.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

You can! In fact, I like to make the cake layers ahead of time so they can set up and make the frosting step easier. Bake the layers 1 to 2 days ahead of time and store, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap, in the fridge.

Can I use a different size pan?

You can, but you'll need to adjust the baking time accordingly. Three (8-inch) cake pans will work great too--but will take a little longer to bake. You can also go down to 2 (9-inch) pans and increase the baking time since the layers will be thicker.

Do I have to use food coloring?

No, but traditional red velvet has the classic red color. If you leave it out, it'll be chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting.

Can I halve the frosting recipe?

For sure, especially if you plan on making a "naked cake." I highly recommend making the entire double-batch of frosting if you plan on a layer cake--that way you know you won't run out.

Can I substitute a different frosting?

Yep! Use your favorite buttercream or whipped ganache if you'd like.

My layers came out with a dome on top. How do I fix that?

Not a problem. Use a serrated knife to trim the top so it's even. And don't throw away those cake scraps. I mean, you can just snack on them (I may be speaking from experience here), but they also make a fun decoration. Crumble the scraps and use them to decorate the sides and top of the cake.

How can I make sure the cake doesn't stick to the pan?

That's a great question. I use Crisco shortening and thoroughly grease the bottoms and sides of the pans. Then, I cut rounds of parchment paper to line the bottoms of the pans. Works every time!

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with this old fashioned red velvet cake:

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