This is the best red velvet cake you’ll ever have. This easy recipe makes an unbelievably moist, fluffy, and flavorful cake that’s perfectly red. Layered with fluffy cream cheese frosting, every bite will melt in your mouth!
This is my absolute favorite red velvet cake recipe! This classic, old-fashioned 2-layer red velvet cake is so moist and delicious, it will melt in your mouth! And it’s frosted with the ultimate rich and creamy cream cheese frosting. One bite and you’ll be in cake heaven.
What is red velvet cake?
Red velvet cake is a classic American cake made with buttermilk and a touch of cocoa powder. However, the amount of cocoa powder is so slight that it really just gives a hint of flavor. The cake is moist, rich, and bursting with vanilla flavor. It’s layered with velvety-smooth cream cheese frosting that complements the fluffy cake layers perfectly.
Easy red velvet cake ingredients
All-purpose flour or cake flour? Although cake flour is usually used for classic red velvet recipes to make it light, I wanted to stick to all-purpose flour in my recipe so that everyone can make it. I use a combination of all purpose flour and cornstarch, so the cake turns out tender and delicious. However, you can substitute 3 cups of cake flour for both the all-purpose flour and cornstarch if you prefer to use it instead.
Red food coloring: The food coloring is what makes red velvet cake red. If you don’t use it, the cake will have a dark reddish-brown color (but will still taste equally delicious, so feel free to omit if you don’t want to use it).
Cocoa powder: I use 2 tablespoons in my recipe, which is just right to get the color and flavor that I look for. Some recipes use 3 tablespoons or more for a bit more chocolatey flavor, but in this case, I like to stick to the classic. Both Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder work here.
Oil or butter? The first cakes I tried were only with butter, because, well, I love butter. But once I started using oil (after I saw that Southern recipes use only oil, and I got curious), I realized my cake was less dry. To enjoy both worlds I use some butter for flavor, and oil for the fluffiest texture and extra moist cake.
Vinegar: I use apple cider vinegar, but any white vinegar would work, like the ones you use for a salad dressing.
I use a classic cream cheese frosting for this red velvet cake.
How to make easy red velvet cake
Start by making the cake and while it bakes, you can make the cream cheese frosting.
Make the cake
- Prepare your cake pans and preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and grease two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans that are at least 2-inches high. Then, line the bottom of the pan with a round piece of parchment paper.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Beat butter and sugar together. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Then, add the oil. The batter might look a bit curdled, that’s ok.
- Add the eggs, vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add vanilla and vinegar and beat until combined. Add red food coloring, until desired color is reached.
- Alternative adding the wet and dry ingredient. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Add buttermilk, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients. Do not over mix or the cake will be dense.
- Divide batter evenly between pans and bake. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in the pan on a wire rack until they’re easy to handle, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the cream cheese frosting
- Beat butter and cream cheese together. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes.
- Add powdered sugar. Add sugar in 2 additions, beating well after each addition until smooth.
- Add vanilla and salt and keep beating until smooth and fluffy.
Assemble the cake
- Set one cake layer on a plate with the flat side facing up (or, if your cake rose too much, cut its rounded top with a knife to make it flat).
- Evenly spread a thick layer of the frosting over the cake to the edge. Top with the second cake layer, rounded side up.
- Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
Products I use to make this cake
9-inch cake pans – these high quality cake pans help my layer cakes bake beautifully. Some of you asked me on Instagram how come my cakes are so flat. There are a few tricks for it, and you can read about it in this helpful guide, but I’ll be honest that I don’t bother with this. I get good results with these cake pans, and if the cakes have a dome, I slice it off with a sharp knife. It’s less trouble, and no one will notice.
Red food coloring – I always prefer using gel than liquid. I’ve tried many and this one has the best vibrant red color.
More of my favorite layer cake recipes
- Chocolate Layer Cake: This perfect cake is super chocolatey and layered with the creamiest chocolate frosting.
- Funfetti Cake: Buttery, vanilla cake full of festive sprinkles!
- Carrot Cake: Full of amazing flavors and layered with cream cheese frosting.
- Black Forest Cake: Chocolate and cherries in every delicious bite.
- White Cake: Moist and fluffy vanilla cake layered with the best vanilla buttercream.
This perfectly moist red velvet cake is the ultimate celebration cake. Layered with creamy, satiny-smooth cream cheese frosting, each bite tastes like a dream!
- 2 and 1/2 cups (340g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (35g) cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons (12g) unsweetened cocoa powder (any kind works)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick/115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 and 1/8 cups (425g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable or canola oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons distilled wine vinegar
- 2-3 tablespoons red food coloring
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
- 16 oz. (450g) full-fat block cream cheese (not spread), at room temperature
- 2 sticks/225g unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt , optional
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To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans that are at least 2-inches high, and line the bottom of the pan with a round piece of parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Beat in oil. The batter might look a bit curdled, that’s ok. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add vanilla and vinegar and beat until combined. Add red food coloring, until desired color is reached. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Add buttermilk, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients. Do not over mix.
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Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in the pan on a wire rack until they’re easy to handle, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
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To make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes. Add sugar in 2 additions, beating well after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla and salt and keep beating until smooth and fluffy.
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Assembling the cake: Set one layer on a plate with the flat side facing up (or, if your cake rose too much, cut its rounded top with a knife to make it flat). Evenly spread a thick layer of the frosting over the cake to the edge. Top with the second cake layer, rounded side up. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
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Store cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like to remove it from the fridge 15-20 minutes before serving so that it’s soft.
222 Comments
Angeliki
March 19, 2018 at 2:18 amHi Shiran! I love your recipes, your blog is what turned me into a fan of baking! 🙂 I wanted to ask, because I’m from Cyprus and we don’t have buttermilk, is there anything I can substitute it with?
Shiran
March 19, 2018 at 2:35 pmThank you so much, Angeliki! You’ve just made my day 🙂 I hope you enjoy this recipe just as much.
Buttermilk Substitutes: (1) Take 1-cup measuring cup and pour in 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Add milk until it reaches one cup. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. It will look curdled and that’s fine. That’s your buttermilk. (2) use 3/4 cup plain yogurt plus 1/4 cup milk. Mix them together, and use it instead of the buttermilk.
Lenny
October 7, 2019 at 2:46 pmAfter you line the pans with parchment, do you pour the batter on the dry parchment or do you grease (or grease/flour) the bottom again after lining?
Shiran
October 13, 2019 at 3:35 amI pour the batter on the parchment paper, no need to grease it!
Kemyah
September 30, 2020 at 2:46 pmI am doing a work assignment and i need to know what origin was this cake made
Christy
April 28, 2020 at 10:53 amHi Shiran,
I would like to bake this beautiful velvet cake .. but in cake flour. You mentioned using cake flour would be 2 3/4 cups. Will that be 345g? I saw someone commented that 2 3/4 cups of cake flour was close to 275g. Hope to hear from you.
Thank you
Christy
Shiran
May 11, 2020 at 5:52 amThat would be 2.75 to 3 cups or 350 grams (weighting is always more accurate).
Isabella v
November 23, 2020 at 4:56 pmHeyy shiran!! Loving your website and your amazing recipes, I love the chocolate cake but i just tried this red velvet and i can feel the cornstarch taste 😢 what changes can I make if I don’t want to use cornstarch, thank for your reply
Shiran
November 30, 2020 at 4:39 amThank you, Isabella! You can use 3 cups of cake flour instead of the flour and cornstarch (you can read more about it in the post above). With only 1/4 cup of cornstarch in the recipe, you shouldn’t be able to taste it so I’m not sure what went wrong :/
Dree
June 16, 2021 at 7:33 amHi Shiran,
I tried your recipe yesterday. The cake was tasty and moist even for the next day. Thank you for sharing ur recipe ❤️
Thabii
November 28, 2020 at 3:29 amHey Shiran, is it okay if I leave out the cornstarch completely and if there’s a substitute what is it and how much?
Shiran
November 30, 2020 at 4:55 amYou can use cake flour instead of the flour and cornstarch (you can read more about it in the post above).
Keyra
April 5, 2021 at 12:21 pmHello Shiran, this recipe looks wonderful!
Could I make this into 3 7 inch pans? Do the cake layers rise significantly? I want it to have a ¨taller¨ aesthetic.
Thank you and greetings from Central America!
Shiran
April 20, 2021 at 2:18 pmHi Keyra, yes this shouldn’t be a problem. I would recommend just keeping an eye on the baking time so the cakes don’t get overbaked.
Jane
August 2, 2019 at 1:02 pmNot related but my Bro-in Law is from Cyprus, too❤️!
Angeliki
March 20, 2018 at 3:54 amGreat! Thank you! 🙂
Anju
July 13, 2020 at 12:13 pmYour recipe is wonderful….. But my cake turns brown after baking…. Taste wise it was very delicious
Shiran
March 25, 2018 at 6:59 amThank you so much, Payal! Unfortunately I don’t have much experience baking without eggs, so I can’t recommend any substitutes.
Lorraine Sarfati
April 3, 2018 at 4:42 pmHi Shiran, awesome recipe! question regarding sifting the powdered sugar. is it 4 cups of sugar before or after it has been sifted? i’m new to baking,and just want to make sure i have all the details correct.
Shiran
April 4, 2018 at 2:28 pmHi Lorraine, it’s before, so you need to first measure the sugar, then sift.
Lorraine
April 5, 2018 at 9:38 pmThank you!
Louise
June 11, 2019 at 6:01 pmHi. I want to make a 4 layered 8 inch cake so will I need to double the recipe,
Thank you
Simone
June 5, 2018 at 1:42 pmHi Shiran! Your recipes are awesome! I have not yet tried them out but I going to try them. But I get stuck with the butter.
Can you please tell me what I can substitute the butter with? What will happen if I add oil instead of butter? Will it lessen the taste ?
Thank You!
Shiran
June 6, 2018 at 9:32 amHi Simone! Thank you so much! In some recipes you can use coconut oil instead, but it depends on the recipe. Using only oil might work but since I haven’t tested it I can’t guarantee the result. It changes not only the flavor, but also the texture.
Yvonne
August 24, 2020 at 8:54 pmI will be making your recipe, soon. Can I use cornflour instead of cornstarch, will it give me the same results.
Shiran
August 30, 2020 at 5:31 amIn some countries it’s the same product (while in others they’re different), so it can be confusing. You need to use the white fine powder, and not the yellow one.
Valerie
June 16, 2018 at 10:00 amHi Shiran,
Tried your recipe today..loved it! But the cheese frosting was liquid. It flew between the layers. Do you any advise please?
I used the spread cream cheese because I could not find block cream cheese.
Thank you ?
Shiran
June 17, 2018 at 3:58 amHi Valerie, the spread doesn’t work well in frostings, because it’s not stiff enough, that’s why it happened. I also mentioned it in the recipe instructions. If you can’t find block cream cheese, you can use another frosting such as vanilla buttercream or whipped cream frosting.
Valerie
June 18, 2018 at 2:50 amThank you. I’ll try the vanilla buttercream frosting next time.
Kasia
May 23, 2019 at 1:56 amDid you beat the frosting for 2 minutes as per recipe? I had always watery ccf until I started to beat it longer.
Vanessa
July 8, 2018 at 2:58 amI have only one 9 inch pan so can I bake one layer after another layer or can I reduce the ingredients quantity to half to yield a one layer cake ?
Shiran
July 11, 2018 at 8:18 amHi Vanessa, both options are fine, but if you half the ingredients to make one layer cake, just keep in mind that the cake will be a bit short.
Noor
October 28, 2018 at 3:17 amI have only one pan too. Can I bake all the batter together and then cut it through once cooled for spreading icing?
Shiran
October 28, 2018 at 10:20 amIt’s possible, but it depends on the height of the cake pan. Make sure it’s 3-inch tall, and don’t fill the pan more than 3/4 full so the batter won’t overflow. Also, the baking time will be longer.
Fatima
August 13, 2019 at 10:22 amHi
Should i use wilton’s red gel colour istead of red food colouring
If yes then how much should i use
Shiran
August 18, 2019 at 7:18 amI always use gel (you can find a link above the recipe) so yes, you can use it.
Bulmara
January 14, 2020 at 5:22 amHi, awesome recipe. I don’t read the servings that this cake makes. Could you please tell me? Thanks
Shiran
January 29, 2020 at 2:34 amIt depends on the size of the slices, but it’s enough for about 12 servings.
Vanessa
July 8, 2018 at 3:42 amHi Shiran,
Can I halve the ingredients or bake each layer one after other since I have only one 9 inch pan ? also can I use powdered sugar ?
Shiran
July 11, 2018 at 8:20 amI recommend using granulated sugar, and not powdered sugar. It will change the texture of the cake.
Kemi
August 16, 2018 at 11:09 amThanks for the knowledge. I tried your receipt but it came out oily, what could have happened?
Shiran
August 20, 2018 at 8:04 amIt’s hard to tell exactly what went wrong, as it can be many things. Be sure to measure out your butter/oil carefully, whisk the mixture properly, and also, don’t leave your butter at room temperature for too long, just until it’s nice and soft but not melty.
Nicole
August 22, 2020 at 2:57 pm😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃
maci
August 18, 2018 at 9:36 amdoes it matter if i skip the distilled wine vinegar? i couldn’t find any!
Shiran
August 20, 2018 at 7:51 amIt’s best to stick to the recipe and use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. If you can find any, you can use lemon juice instead.
Dee
September 2, 2018 at 2:10 pmHi love this, my go to recipe.
Thank you for sharing!!!!
Could this be used for cupcakes?
Shiran
September 3, 2018 at 9:49 amI’m glad you like it 🙂 Here’s my recipe for red velvet cupcakes.
Molu
September 17, 2018 at 7:32 pmHi Shiran! I just found out your blog and made this lovely cake for my wedding anniversary.. it turns out super moist & delicious that my hubby can’t stop eating just 1 slice.. thank you so much for sharing this recipe, love from Indonesia 🙂
Rosa
September 18, 2018 at 11:03 amcan you use cake flour instead of all purpose flour?
Shiran
September 24, 2018 at 8:54 amYes, omit the flour and cornstarch, and use 375 grams of cake flour instead.
Phyllis
December 28, 2019 at 12:29 amLove this recipe. I use cake flour and thought the substitution should have been 375 grams but the amount given in the blog is 2 3/4 cups which is closer to 275 grams so my layers are slightly sunken. I will make the correction when I bake this again. Love the cream cheese frosting too! Thanks.
San
September 26, 2018 at 8:13 amIf I bake them in 8 inch pans, does the cooking time change?
Shiran
September 30, 2018 at 9:21 amIt will take just a bit longer but the baking time will be similar.
Indri
September 29, 2018 at 8:48 amJust made this cake for my husband and he love it! thanks for the recipe ??
Josie co
October 4, 2018 at 6:50 pmWhat do you mean by ” don’t over mix” ?
Shiran
October 7, 2018 at 7:21 amHi Josie, it means not to mix too much, just until the ingredients are incorporated. This results in a lighter cake.
Favour
October 13, 2018 at 2:11 amHi shiran… I love your work so much…. Please what can I use in place of the distilled wine vinegar
Shiran
October 14, 2018 at 8:02 amThank you so much! A classic red velvet cake uses white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. If you can’t find any, you can use lemon juice instead (same quantity).
Jennifer Lovejoy
October 14, 2018 at 6:49 pmSo I Googled Homemade Red Velvet Cake From Scratch recipes and ran into yours. I was looking for a simple to the point recipe and found yours with the explanations very informative!! I’m planning to home make 2 red velvet cakes to give to a couple people as part of their Christmas from me, and am purchasing a poinsettia cake spray to decorate the top of the cake with and candy ivy leaves to decorate the sides and top of cakes with as well–thats my perfect finishing piece is the ivy leaves! I’m in my pre-planning process right now, so I even went to Walmart and collected ideas for the cake pan to use, all my tools I’ll need, ect. Then I thought now if I can just find the right recipe. I’m excitedly eager to try your recipe out! Let me know how I can send you pictures of how it looks and how beautifully I decorate it bc I’m sure you’ll love to see the end result like I already am! Thank you for your recipe! 🙂
Shiran
October 15, 2018 at 5:15 amHi Jennifer! I’m sure the cake will be amazing. I would love to see some photos, you can share them with me on Instagram or email me at [email protected]
Nelisha Hosein
October 24, 2018 at 11:16 pmhi hi. i am going to try this soon and was wondering what type of foo d colouring do you recommend? liquid, or gel/paste? thank you.
Shiran
October 25, 2018 at 5:11 amHi Nelisha, I use this one.
Caroline
October 30, 2018 at 12:59 pmHi! This recipe looks to die for. It looks fluffy and light. Since tomorrow is Halloween, I am going to be making a bloody, rich cake. My first thought was red velvet. So, here I am! But just a quick question, can the red food coloring be gel? Or can it be the small bottles that come in a four-pack (red, yellow, blue, and green)? Anyways, thanks in advance!
Shiran
October 31, 2018 at 6:39 amHi Caroline, I use the gel kind. There’s a link to the one I use above the recipe.
Natalie
November 1, 2018 at 12:06 pmHi Shiran.
I love your recipes, they are always so yummy! Can you freeze the Red velvet cake?
Many thanks,
Natalie
Shiran
November 4, 2018 at 7:03 amThank you so much, Natalie! Yes, you can freeze it, and then thaw it in the fridge for several hours before serving.
Adi
February 5, 2020 at 2:11 amHi, can you cut each layer in the middle, to make four layers?
Shiran
February 5, 2020 at 2:14 amOf course! 🙂
Stella
November 3, 2018 at 7:03 amHi Shiran!! Your recipes are awesome and really they are pretty simple nd sweet… stay blessed with more recipes ??.. I’m planning to make a red velvet cake for a birthday.. got a quick question.. red food colour, gel means how much shud we use for this recipe?? Thanks in advance
Shiran
November 4, 2018 at 8:18 amThank you so much, Stella 🙂 I use gel too, so use the amount mentioned in the recipe.
Glenn Puput
November 6, 2018 at 5:18 amHi, im from Indonesia. i tried this recipe with beetroot colouring and it turn into brown color after baked. could you give some tips with beetroot colouring?
Shiran
November 7, 2018 at 5:38 amI have no experience baking with beetroot food coloring, sorry!
Namrata
June 8, 2020 at 3:51 amWhat can I use as a substitute for eggs?
Shiran
June 10, 2020 at 2:06 amSorry Namrata but I have no experience baking without eggs.
aya
November 14, 2018 at 1:04 pmwhy you don’t use baking powder?
Shiran
November 17, 2018 at 1:31 pmHi Aya, not every recipe uses baking powder. This recipe uses baking soda as a leavener.
aya
November 14, 2018 at 2:21 pmplease answer my question thanks in advance?
Sophia Lejtman
November 15, 2018 at 11:54 pmThanks so much for posting this recipe! It came out perfect! I used soy milk, left out the corn flour, and used liquid food coloring. I made dairy free frosting with tofutti cream cheese, 1 Tbs. Vanilla and 1 cup sugar. Topped with ground walnuts. Definitely my go to site for great easy recipes. Keep up the good work!:)
Jane
November 22, 2018 at 12:26 amCan we use normal butter instead of unsalted butter
Shiran
November 22, 2018 at 3:41 amRegular butter is unsalted butter. If your butter is not salted, then it’s ok to use.
Jane Charita
November 23, 2018 at 3:10 amIs it a good idea if i also use sugar syrup before putting frosting? thanks
Shiran
November 27, 2018 at 5:45 amHi Jane, the cake is super moist so there’s no need to add sugar syrup.
Precious ibiam
September 2, 2022 at 12:52 pmPls, why would mine come out brown after baking shiran
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
September 4, 2022 at 2:12 amHi, perhaps the cake was bake too long. Also, if you added more cocoa powder than the recipe calls for, this would make the batter brown. Hope this helps!
Susie
November 28, 2018 at 11:12 amI am, as we speak, on stage three of making recipe but the ratio of granulated sugar and butter isn’t turning light and fluffy, and I’ve been beating for around eight or nine minutes. I added a spot of hot water but it’s still not creaming. I measured them exactly per recipe. This is for my three tier ruby wedding anniversary Saturday!! I’m going to just crack on with the rest of it and hope for the best. Help ASAP.
Shiran
November 29, 2018 at 1:18 pmHi Susie, I hope your cake turned out delicious. It’s enough to beat the butter and sugar for several minutes in the mixer.
Linda Mallard
December 9, 2018 at 1:19 pmMy husband is diabetic can I use a sugar substitutes with this cake and frosting.
Shiran
December 9, 2018 at 2:16 pmSorry Linda, but I don’t have much experience using sugar substitutes.
Asha Suleiman
December 11, 2018 at 3:04 pmHi shiran… You can substitute butter milk by adding vinegar to milk, right? So that vinegar on ricepe’s or you add more? May I use margarine instead of butter?
trish
December 18, 2018 at 6:50 pmCan this cake be made in a 9 X 13?
Shiran
December 19, 2018 at 8:14 amYes. The temperature will be the same, but the baking time will be longer.
Silvia Chisholm
January 14, 2019 at 10:32 pmWhat brand of red food coloring do you use?
Shiran
January 20, 2019 at 10:32 amYou can find a link to the product above the recipe.
Afifa Khan
January 29, 2019 at 8:22 pmHi there
Would you be able to advise why red velvet cake turns brown?
Ofunne
February 1, 2019 at 8:07 amHello! How do I adapt this into a loaf cake? Do I split the recipe in half and use and will the batter be too liquid for a loaf pan resulting in a cake that’s too moist?
Brenda
February 9, 2019 at 9:40 pmHi can you make cupcakes out of this recipe
Shiran
February 10, 2019 at 8:41 amYou can use my recipe for red velvet cupcakes.
Caroline
February 11, 2019 at 5:04 amI’m going to try your recipe and was wondering if its ok to use white wine vinegar?
Shiran
February 14, 2019 at 4:35 amYes, you can.
Sarah Latta
February 14, 2019 at 9:54 amCan I made this recipe without cocoa? Cannot eat anything with chocolate because of migraine headaches.
Kerfisha
February 16, 2019 at 5:59 pmhi, can i use salted butter instead?
SAM
February 27, 2019 at 12:26 amCan I use fresh milk instead of buttermilk?
Shiran
March 5, 2019 at 4:01 amButtermilk is the best option. If you don’t have it available you can make your own buttermilk. One cup of milk plus one tablespoon of lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes. It will curdle and that’s ok.
Darissa
February 28, 2019 at 5:47 amHi shiran! I’m using your recipe for a project in school but i don’t know how to reduce the serving size of your recipe
Can you help me out with that? It’s about 4-6 people that i have to serve. It would also be great if you can tell me what pan size i should use . Thank you lots of love Shiran. Btw your recipes ARE BAE<3
Michael myers
February 28, 2019 at 6:54 amHi shiran, I am using your recipe as my project for school. There is this cooking competition that requires me to serve the cake to atleast 4-6 people whom are the judges. Do you know how i can reduce the ingredients as im not that good at reducing it. It would also Be great if you can tell me what type of pan i should use.
MUCH LOVES
Michael
Shiran
March 5, 2019 at 3:42 amHi Michael, I recommend checking out my article on how to convert pan sizes to alter the recipe 🙂
Beatrice
March 26, 2019 at 11:06 amHi Shiran what speed do you put your kitchen aid mixer on to mix the batter?
Neetha
June 4, 2019 at 3:58 amHi Shiran,
Is it possible to use cornflour instead of corn starch.
Thanks
Bukenzo
June 13, 2019 at 10:59 pmHello Shiran, is it okay to freeze the cake(definitely unfrosted)? For how long? How soon should it be out of the freezer for frosting? Thanks
Kelly
June 23, 2019 at 2:10 amThe absolute best red velvet cake I have ever tasted and I am not a red velvet fan. I made this red velvet cake for my cousins graduation party, since red velvet is his favorite cake flavor. I baked it in two 8 inch pans and sliced them in half to create 4 layers. I also didn’t use red food coloring but added red velvet emulsion instead and that took moisture and flavor to a whole new level. It was life changing. I paired this red velvet cake with a white chocolate cream cheese ganache frosting as it’s filling since I couldn’t decide to use either or. To frost the entire outside of the cake I used a simple vanilla Swiss’s meringue buttercream. So moist, not sweet at all, so decadent, fluffy, and full of flavors that complimented each other so well. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Christina De Silva
June 28, 2019 at 4:09 amHi Shiran…. when you say all purpose flour do you mean self raising flour? Also how long can I keep cream cheese frosting out. Its for a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting covered with fondant. I am worried if I keep it in the fridge than the fondant might run. I am trying to keep the cake out for 3 days.
Jana Birch
June 29, 2019 at 5:03 pmThis was by far the best red velvet cake recipe I have tried. And the butter/oil combination worked very well… Fabulously moist yet tasty. Thanks Shiran!
(I actually used it to make jumbo cup cakes and it worked beautifully)
Tom
August 5, 2019 at 7:58 pmHi Shiran I am planning to make this cake this week and am hoping for a four tier red velvet cake should I double the recipe
Thanks a lot
Tom
Brynne
October 21, 2019 at 6:46 pmI made this and it was absolutely my favorite cake recipe ever, and I don’t even like red velvet that much! I was just wondering if it was possible to make this into a vanilla cake recipe by not using the cocoa, vinegar, and buttermilk? And then replacing the buttermilk with just normal milk? I just loved the texture so much I wanted to make it in a vanilla version!! Thanks!
Alexandra teal
October 25, 2019 at 11:02 pmThis recipe is freaking awesome! I baked it as written and then a second time with cake flour instead of all purpose flour. So so moist and fabulous flavor and a crowd favorite. Like seriously I was told multiple times by people that this is the best cake they ever had and they wanted my number to buy a cake from me in the future haha! For the frosting, I accidentally doubled the amount of powdered sugar and it ended up being perfect in taste and for piping.
Orit
October 26, 2019 at 1:43 pmI finally baked this cake this weekend, after fantasizing about it for months :-). It turned out so great, really moist and fluffy and rich. It was easy and fun to make , like all your recipes that I’ve already tried!
BTW, I did use cake flour since I had a package that was going to reach its expiration date soon. Judging by the result, it turned out well 🙂
Fiona
November 28, 2019 at 6:39 pmHi, I want to try and make red velvet cake, tomorrow, for a friends 50th birthday. We’re actually having a ‘bake off’ as she’s a fantastic cake maker! She’s done all our wedding, birthdays, every occasion she’s done for us! It’s between 9 of us. As I no red velvet is her favourite cake. Should I’ve of made It 5 days ago?? As you said it had to be kept in fridge for 5 days??
Shiran
January 29, 2020 at 2:50 amIt only means that lefotovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days 🙂 It’s better to serve cakes as fresh as possible.
Gabriella
December 13, 2019 at 9:34 amHello!
If I wanted to make this as three layer cake using 6 inch pans how would I adjust the measurements?
Thank you!
Liad
January 30, 2020 at 4:03 amHey Shiran,
Are there any tools other than a mixer with a paddle to make the frosting?
Thank you so much for your awesome blog
Shiran
February 5, 2020 at 2:38 amYou can use a hand mixer, or just whisk the ingredients vigorously using a hand-whisk (this will take longer).
Bushra
April 6, 2020 at 3:48 pmhey, can i don’t have baking soda? is there any other alternative? 🙁
Shiran
April 7, 2020 at 6:43 amSorry but you’ll have to use baking soda for this recipe.
Claire
April 30, 2020 at 12:04 pmHi Shiran,
I couldn’t find any cornstarch in the shops. I have corn flour and all purpose flour. Is the corn starch necessary?
Thanks 🙂
Shiran
May 11, 2020 at 5:20 amHi Claire 🙂 You can leave it out, but just keep in mind that the cake would be a bit more dense with a slightly different texture.
Ashlyn
May 31, 2020 at 5:34 pmI have a pre mixture of red velvet …..So could you instruct me how to make a red velvet cake with the use of that
Eniola
June 4, 2020 at 12:15 pmHi Shiran,
for the very first time I baked a cake using your recipe( red velvet cake) . I was anxious really but I followed the steps. It came out amazing. My husband loved it as it was his birthday. Thank you so much.
Christy
June 7, 2020 at 3:23 amAwesome! I tried it out and it’s great. Thanks!
Becks
June 7, 2020 at 2:02 pmHi I was wondering, for the cream cheese frosting, will there be enough to decorate? I plan on making floral decorations, so will the recipe for the cream cheese frosting yield enough? Thanks <3
Shiran
June 10, 2020 at 2:10 amIt might be enough, it depends on how much frosting you’re going to use for the cake. If you want to decorate the cake, you can make a bit more of the frosting just to be on the safe side.
Becks
June 10, 2020 at 7:41 pmThank you so much for this feedback! Usually recipe writers don’t respond…I appreciate it!! Much love, Becks <3
Achor Gift
June 15, 2020 at 5:40 pmPls the white vinegar or the apple cider is it as preservatives…thanks
Lola Inufin
June 18, 2020 at 5:07 pmCan I use salted butter and ditch the salt?
Shiran
June 29, 2020 at 2:30 amI like to use the two separately to control the amount of salt in the recipe. I haven’t tried it with unsalted butter.
Alycia Ollis
June 18, 2020 at 7:49 pmHi there,
About to try and make this recipe. In NZ we have cornflour, is this the same as cornstarch where you come from? I’m struggling to find the cornstarch here…
Thank you
Shiran
June 29, 2020 at 2:58 amHi Alycia. In some countries it’s the same thing so it’s possible. It should be a white powder that’s commonly used for thickening or in baking recipes.
Lisa
June 21, 2020 at 1:51 amWhat do you line the pans with? I saw in your video, you were lining the pans with butter I think before putting on the parchment paper.
Shiran
June 23, 2020 at 1:48 amHi Lisa, you can use melted butter or a neutral oil such as canola.
Sandra
July 3, 2020 at 9:33 amHi Shiran. I followed the recipe perfectly but the cake turned brown after baking. Any idea how I can get a red cake ?
Shiran
July 7, 2020 at 2:18 amHi Sandra, if it was perfectly red before baking and it’s brown inside the cake as well, then maybe it has something to do with the food coloring you’re using. If it’s brown only on the outside then maybe you need less baking time or that it has something to do with your oven/oven temperature.
Jovita
August 10, 2020 at 3:01 pmHi Shiran, tried out your recipe today and it came out so perfect. Thanks so much for sharing. Pls what is your instagram handle, will like to follow you ma’am. Your recipe and procedure is well detailed and easily understandable. Greetings from Nigeria
Shiran
August 12, 2020 at 5:23 amThank you so much Jovita 🙂 Search for @shiran_dickman or click here.
faz
September 3, 2020 at 12:38 pmHi there I want to bake this as a 3 layer 6 inch cake. As I would be making it as a 3 layer cake instead of 2, do you think this batter amount would be fine or would need reducing? If you think it needs reducing then will use the link you provided in previous comments. Thanks so much
Shiran
September 10, 2020 at 5:03 amIt depends on how tall you want the cake to be. For a 6-inch cake you can use 1/2 to 3/4 of the recipe. Just be careful not to overfill the pans with batter.
Adriana
September 9, 2020 at 7:10 pmI recently tried your recipe, came out super delicious 😃 it was a hit !!
Ronak Mehta
September 16, 2020 at 5:52 amI tried out cake with the above recipe. The cake was very soft and tasty. Thank you.
Suk
October 15, 2020 at 7:19 pmHi Shiran,
Do you bring the eggs, buttermilk, and butter to room temp? I’m surprised it’s not listed and it prevents overmixing and a lighter cake.
Shiran
October 20, 2020 at 9:10 amIt’s mentioned in the recipe for the butter. As for the eggs and buttermilk, while it’s always easier to mix the ingredients if they’re at room temperature, I don’t think it’s a must for the success of a recipe.
Liad
October 16, 2020 at 3:39 pmI followed this recipe, the results were amazing.
We baked a cake with half the ingredients to get a smaller (rectangle) cake and it was perfect.
I was only able to get spreadable cream cheese, luckily after scouring the internet I found a tutorial that gave good instructions for making a frosting using that
The problem with cream cheese is the amount of liquids that hurt the emulsification and make the frosting too runny.
To make frosting with cream cheese, you need to first cream the butter alone, then add the sugar 1/3 at a time, keep whisking until you get a fluffy buttercream, then add the cheese 1/3 at a time.
I made it like that and got great results, thank you very much for this great recipe!
Precious
October 28, 2020 at 12:22 pmHi I just wanted to know if it was possible to make a red Velvet cake without cocoa powder, cause I was about to start trying the recipe and thought I had no cocoa powder left. But fortunately I had some. I don’t know if you have done a cake like that.
Oyindamola
December 2, 2020 at 1:21 amGood morning, if I want to bake single layer of 9 inch pan how many cup of flour will I use.
Veronica Cifuentes
December 6, 2020 at 9:58 amHello Shiran, This recipe looks so delicious and I really want to try it, however in my country it is difficult to find buttermilk. Can I prepare it in my house or substitute it for any other ingredient?
Shiran
December 20, 2020 at 7:18 amYou can use homemade buttermilk 🙂 To make 1 cup of buttermilk: take a measuring cup and pour in 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Add milk until it reaches one cup. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes (it will look curdled and that’s fine), then use in the recipe.
David Anderson
January 4, 2021 at 10:44 amHey there. I’m not cooking at high altitude, I have a convection oven, I followed your recipe to the letter and it took a full 48 minutes for the cake to bake.
Miracle
January 6, 2021 at 4:40 pmThank u for the recipe.
Oma
January 12, 2021 at 5:53 amI love the recipe
The way you explained everything perfectly well
Buh here it’s not really easy to find unsalted butter
Wah can I use as substitute
Shiran
January 14, 2021 at 9:59 amThank you so much 🙂 I recommend sticking to butter. Unsalted butter is regular butter with no added salt, it’s the most common one.
Aiza
January 20, 2021 at 4:32 amHi Shiran,
If i substitute the all purpose flour with self-raising flour, should i still add cornstarch to the ingredients?
Thank you for well-explained recipe and video. Can’t wait to try this one.
Shiran
January 27, 2021 at 12:35 pmHi Aiza. Self-raising flour can’t be used instead of all-purpose flour because it has baking powder in it.
Morisade
March 1, 2021 at 9:21 amI made this cake for my dad’s birthday and all of his guest kept commenting on how it was the best cake they had ever eaten. And the frosting was just perfect, thank you so much.
Can this repice be used for cupcakes and how many is it going to yield? Also, how much frosting I’m I going to need for 24 cupcakes.
Morisade,
With love from Nigeria.
Shiran
March 30, 2021 at 6:48 amThank you so much! 🙂 Here’s the recipe for my red velvet cupcakes for inspiration. You can also use this recipe instead.
S.C.
March 3, 2021 at 9:30 amI want to use cake flour for baking this cake my question is that does all the other ingredients remain at the same measurement when using the 3 cups of cake flour with this recipe.
Thanks In Advance.
Shiran
March 10, 2021 at 3:11 amYes, the other ingredients stay the same 🙂
Janell
April 4, 2021 at 1:38 amIf I need to make a three layer 8” would I double the recipe?
Shiran
April 20, 2021 at 2:14 pmHi Janell, you can use the same amount of batter that this recipe yields and divide it between 3 pans instead of 2.
Sharon Thompson
April 7, 2021 at 10:37 amVery moist, delicious and everyone loved it. I used a cream cheese frosting that is more suited to UK Philadelphia. I converted the recipe and baked this in 3 x 5in diameter pans and the edges and the bottom were a bit crispy and oily to touch (but not oily inside), yet the cake didn’t appear to be over baked at all as the top was soft and springy. Any idea why this might have happened? I used Fat Daddio’s 2in high pans. I trimmed the sides and it was good to go.
Shiran
April 20, 2021 at 3:20 pmHi Sharon, sorry to hear that you had some technical issues! Unfortunately, it’s hard to say what went wrong during the baking process without being there.
Emily
April 8, 2021 at 5:04 pmHi Shiran!
I’d like to make this into blue velvet cake. How much food coloring for a pretty pale blue color? Also, how much for a rich blue color?
Thanks!
Shiran
April 20, 2021 at 2:38 pmHi Emily, I have never tried this before, but from what I know a combination of royal blue and violet food colorings work well. I recommend checking out some other recipes to get the exact amounts.
Marchus Shane
April 10, 2021 at 3:48 amI tried out this Tempting red velvet cake with the above recipe. The cake was very softy and delectable. Thank you.
Krissy
May 29, 2021 at 5:08 amHello Shiran,
I’ve tried your recipe and it’s devine. What do you think would happen if I used pink gel food coloring instead of red? (I ran out of red and it’s not easy to find here- I live in Greece!) My daughter’s birthday is coming up and she liked the idea of a pink velvet cake. I’m worried it may turn out brown though…any advice?
Shiran
June 11, 2021 at 4:52 amHi Krissy, pink food coloring won’t work as well as red because it may turn the outside of the cake slightly brown. If you just want the flavor of the cake, you can omit the food coloring and enjoy it even without food coloring. It just won’t look like traditional red velvet cake 🙂
Naheeda Sheikh
June 1, 2021 at 5:37 pmHello! So I have been reading for days and days and there seems to be so many versions of red velvet cakes out there.
Can I ask if you tried this recipe with baking powder and if that made a difference? Also did you try the baking soda and vinegar mixture at the end and did that make a difference?
I have come up with 4 variations that I will be trying over the next couple of days but I was wondering if you had any advice on this?
Thanks!
Shiran
June 11, 2021 at 4:57 amHi Naheeda, I have tried many red velvet cake recipes over the years and this has always been my favorite. I recommend sticking to a single recipe 🙂
V
June 24, 2021 at 10:11 amHi I love the it but I can’t have sugar can I bake it without sugar or is there a sugar substitute?
Thank u ☺️
Joy
June 30, 2021 at 11:33 amWhat oils can I substitute for the vegetable/canola oil? Can I use olive oil or avocado oil?
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
July 7, 2021 at 2:25 pmHi Joy, I wouldn’t recommend substituting olive or avocado oils because they will add an undesired flavor to the cake. I recommend sticking to the recipe as is, vegetable oil is the best option for this cake 🙂
Andrew Paul
August 17, 2021 at 1:31 pmThanks for the great recipe , i love red velvet cake very much..
Winni
September 7, 2021 at 12:56 amAmazing recipe, I have never used oil and butter together to, but I would love to give a try to it.
Grainic - online rice cake
September 20, 2021 at 5:35 amWhat a wonderful Article! Thanks for this information.
TheFlowersPoint
September 28, 2021 at 3:33 amVery informative
Anushka
October 20, 2021 at 4:16 amHey, Thanks for writing this kinda content. i loved to reading your content. it’s smooth content
AmbalaCakes
October 25, 2021 at 1:17 amVery informative
Niranjan
October 26, 2021 at 6:39 amNice article, Thanks for sharing . Niranjan
Victoria Modupe
October 29, 2021 at 6:04 amI made red velvet cake using this recipe….OMG my customer loved it….I felt like crying because it was really good….. Thank you for sharing, you are my hero…
Anushka Singh
October 30, 2021 at 6:47 amI’m new in this filed and i also always find some new strategy and trick on regular basis. but, got new tricks. will follow to your according. Thank you for writing this kinda information’s .
Chef Bakers
November 16, 2021 at 5:39 amThanks for your recipe. Really awesome
Sophia
November 29, 2021 at 9:38 pmHey there. I want to do this for Christmas but don’t have the vinegar for the cake. Is there anything that can substitute it? Thanks. I love your recipes.
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
December 2, 2021 at 5:48 pmHi Sophia, white vinegar is ideal, but you could try red wine vinegar or even lemon juice instead.
Mahie Bakery House
December 3, 2021 at 2:03 amHi, Shiran Cake was made very tasty and soft, please tell me about different cakes.
thank you
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
December 3, 2021 at 12:37 pmHi Mahie, glad you enjoyed the cake! I recommend searching for all my cake recipes on my website to see all recipes I have available :).
Blissmygift
December 14, 2021 at 8:29 amhey shirin,
I really loving your website and your recepies too, this website is made for us.
Thank you
YourKoseli
December 21, 2021 at 12:53 amAmazing recipe, Have never made it with such a recipe, but I would love to give it a try to it.
Blissmygift
December 29, 2021 at 4:03 amGreat Recipe. I really loving your website and your recepies too, this website is made for us.
thanks for sharing with us.
Sunil Kumar
January 19, 2022 at 1:47 amI tried your recipe yesterday. The cake was tasty and moist even for the next day. Thank you for sharing ur recipe ❤
Shopnideas
January 19, 2022 at 2:27 amNice recipe we all loved it
Desiree Spires
January 28, 2022 at 6:57 pmCan I cut this recipe in half? I have two small cake pans that I want to use, I think I got it all figured out except for the eggs?
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
January 31, 2022 at 3:29 amHi Desiree, you can definitely cut this recipe in half!
Debra Bledsoe
February 20, 2022 at 9:51 amDid not give 5 stars cause just not as moist as expected. I bake according to directions and cakes came out looking beautiful. Filled with Raspberry cream cheese. Frosted with cream cheese buttercream.
No one complained, but I wasn’t exactly wowed.
TheFlowersPoint.com
March 1, 2022 at 12:17 amVery nice Women day Red Velvet cake recipe
Marcus Shane
March 2, 2022 at 3:53 amThanks for the Amazing Recipe!!
Rahul
March 29, 2022 at 5:23 amWow pictures are so nice!!!
liza james
April 5, 2022 at 2:05 amwowww, Photographs are just amazing. Intresting Article, you are doing a great job . Keep it up.
Online Cake Delivery
AmbalaCakes
April 6, 2022 at 1:28 amVery nice Delicious Red Velvet Cake recipe
pumpkin seeds 1kg
July 13, 2022 at 7:57 amThanks for the great recipe , I like red velvet cake So much.
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
July 14, 2022 at 5:29 amSo glad you enjoyed it!
Marcela
September 9, 2022 at 9:38 pmHi!, today I just tried this recepe and it turned out great!, awesome job, thank you! so moist and tender. My now first-to-go recipe.
Mohit Rawat
September 28, 2022 at 11:26 amI love the recipe. I think its a beautiful red velvet cake.
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
September 29, 2022 at 2:02 amThank you, Mohit! So glad you enjoyed it.
Vibrant Art
October 12, 2022 at 6:22 amIncredible recipe, I’ve never made it using a recipe like that, but I’d really like to.
Ravi Kant
October 25, 2022 at 4:25 amSo, far I just ate it but now getting a chance to make a red velvet cake. Amazing one.
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
October 25, 2022 at 9:01 amThanks, Ravi! So glad you enjoyed it.
Ravi Kant
November 16, 2022 at 7:19 amYour most welcome.
Mohit Aniston
November 8, 2022 at 10:15 amThis cake’s distinctive flavour comes from a blend of ingredients including vinegar, red food colouring, cocoa powder, and buttermilk.
ishak
November 15, 2022 at 1:20 amit’s really-really amazing. thanks for inspired me by your blog
Priyanshu
November 27, 2022 at 3:23 amExcellent recipe. I really like your website and your recipes; this website was created for us.
Blissmygift
January 7, 2023 at 4:21 amI really like this page, often follows your recepies.
Keep posting.
Cheryl Burrows
January 16, 2023 at 8:59 pmI’d like to make this recipe but for a 10” cake, and I’m thinking four layers since they will be thinner. Do you think that would work, or would the layers be too thin?
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
January 17, 2023 at 7:00 amHi Cheryl, you should be able to slice each layer in half, creating 4 thinner layers 🙂 If using a 10-inch cake pan, I recommend multiplying each ingredient by 1.2 to make sure you have enough batter for taller cakes. Check out my article on converting pan sizes for more info 🙂
Backyard Revolution
January 19, 2023 at 1:22 amAmazing POST. Very Informative Post. I Realy Like This.
Darya
January 26, 2023 at 11:41 amCan I use half of cup of butter instead of one cup of butter in frosting?
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
January 29, 2023 at 4:00 amHi Darya, you may need to substitute with a bit more cream cheese and/or powdered sugar to make enough frosting for the entire cake, but it should be fine with half the butter 🙂 I prefer adding the butter for flavor and texture, but with half the amount you’ll just have more of a cream cheese flavor.