Red velvet isn't chocolate cake with dye. It's its own thing: a buttermilk and vinegar crumb with just enough cocoa to read as cocoa, impossibly tender, under a sharp cream cheese frosting. The acid duo of buttermilk and vinegar is what makes the crumb velvet, softening the flour and keeping the whole thing plush for days.
Everything you need
- 2½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp (11 g) cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine salt
- ¾ cup (164 g) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (245 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp red food colouring (gel)
- 1¾ cups (406 g) cream cheese, cold (for the frosting)
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, soft (for the frosting)
- 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar, sifted (for the frosting)
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
0 of 6 done-
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Grease and line two 20 cm round tins.
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Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a big bowl.
For this step
- 2½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp (11 g) cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
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Whisk the oil, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar, vanilla and colouring in a jug until even and alarming in colour.
For this step
- 1 cup (245 g) buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp red food colouring (gel)
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
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Pour the wet into the dry and whisk just until smooth. The batter is thin, which is correct.
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Divide between the tins and bake 28 to 32 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the tins, then fully on a rack.
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Frosting: beat the butter until pale, add the powdered sugar in stages, then beat in the cold cream cheese just until smooth, about 30 seconds. Stack and frost the completely cooled layers, then chill 30 minutes to set before slicing.
For this step
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp (11 g) cocoa powder
- 1¾ cups (406 g) cream cheese
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
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Worth knowing
- Gel colouring, not liquid. A tablespoon of gel gives the true crimson. Liquid bottles need so much volume the crumb suffers, and it still comes out pinkish brown.
- Beat cream cheese briefly and cold. Warm or long-beaten cream cheese frosting turns to soup, and no amount of extra sugar rescues it.
Make it your own
- Bake as 24 cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes.
- A crumbed layer: blitz the cake trimmings and press them onto the frosted sides, the classic bakery finish.
Storing & freezing
Fridge for 4 days under a cake dome, brought to room temperature before serving. Unfrosted layers freeze for 2 months, and frosting a half-frozen layer is actually easier.
Frequently asked
What makes red velvet different from chocolate cake?
Far less cocoa, plus buttermilk and vinegar. The acids tenderise the crumb and give the faint tang that defines the style. The colour is tradition, not flavour.
Why is my cream cheese frosting runny?
The cream cheese was warm, whipped too long, or a spreadable tub variety. Use cold, full fat block cream cheese and beat it in last, briefly.
Cooking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
More to cook
A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.