Red Velvet Cake from Scratch

Red Velvet Cake from scratch with Cream Cheese Frosting – the BEST Red Velvet Cake I’ve ever eaten. I got the recipe from a local bakery, Ashley Mac’s. Surprisingly easy to make and tastes AMAZING! Sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, red food coloring, flour, cocoa powder, salt, buttermilk, vinegar, baking soda, cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar. Can bake in any cake pan you prefer. Great for holidays, birthdays, and potlucks. #cake #redvelvet #creamcheese

slice of red velvet cake on a plate

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Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I am a sucker for Red Velvet Cake and this is the BEST Red Velvet Cake I’ve ever eaten. I got the recipe from one of my favorite local bakeries, Ashley Mac’s. They had the recipe framed on the wall, so I did what any respectable food blogger would do and took a picture of it! This cake is super moist and the cream cheese frosting is to-die-for delicious! This is perfect for birthday parties, anniversaries, cookouts, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or a Tuesday. You know, anytime you need something sweet.

whole red velvet cake with a slice cut out of it

How to Make Red Velvet Cake from Scratch

I know some people are intimidated by layer cakes, but this cake is surprisingly easy to make. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, mix together sugar and vegetable oil. Add eggs and mix well. Mix in gel food coloring and vanilla. In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to batter alternating with buttermilk. Finally, combine white vinegar and baking soda. Immediately add to the batter and stir. Pour the batter into the cake pan of your choice and bake.

Cool the cake slightly in the pan and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. Mix together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Frost the cake and enjoy!

slice of red velvet cake cut with a fork

Tips for Making Cake from Scratch

  • You can bake this cake in any pan that you prefer.
    • I used three 8-inch cake pans for this cake.
    • You can use two or three 9-inch cake pans. The layers will just be thinner.
    • You can also bake this in a 9×13 pan if you want to make a single layer cake or in a muffin pan if you want cupcakes.
  • This recipe uses three containers of gel food coloring. I used Wilton red food coloring. You can buy it at Walmart, Michael’s, and Hobby Lobby.
  • Do I have to use three containers of food coloring? You can use as much or as little food coloring as you wish.
  • Don’t have buttermilk? You can make your own homemade buttermilk with one cup of milk and one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Combine the two and let the mixture sit for at least 5 minutes until it curdles.
  • Feel free to garnish the cake with chopped pecans or sprinkles.
  • Can Red Velvet Cake be frozen? Yes! You can make the cake in advance and freeze it unfrosted until ready to serve. You can also freeze the frosted cake.
  • The cream cheese frosting can be made in advance and refrigerated before frosting the cake. The frosting will keep 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator.
  • Store the cake in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

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slice of red velvet cake cut with a fork

Red Velvet Cake

Yield: 12 people
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting – the BEST Red Velvet Cake I've ever eaten. I got the recipe from a local bakery, Ashley Mac's. Surprisingly easy to make and tastes AMAZING! Sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, red food coloring, flour, cocoa powder, salt, buttermilk, vinegar, baking soda, cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar. Can bake in any cake pan you prefer. Great for holidays, birthdays, and potlucks. #cake #redvelvet #creamcheese

Ingredients:

Red Velvet Cake

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Red Velvet Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine sugar and oil, Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, beating well. Add gel food coloring and vanilla, mixing until well blended.
  • Combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add to the batter in 3 batches, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
  • In a small bowl, combine vinegar and baking soda, stirring to combine. Immediately add to the cake batter and beat at low speed until blended.
  • Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.
  • Spread cream cheese frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a large bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add butter and beat until smooth, Slowly add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in vanilla.

Notes:

  • You can bake this cake in any pan that you prefer.
    • I used three 8-inch cake pans for this cake.
    • You can use two or three 9-inch cake pans. The layers will just be thinner.
    • You can also bake this in a 9×13 pan if you want to make a single layer cake or in a muffin pan if you want cupcakes.
3 jars of food coloring
  • This recipe uses three containers of gel food coloring. I used Wilton red food coloring. You can buy it at Walmart, Michael’s, and Hobby Lobby.
  • Do I have to use three containers of food coloring? You can use as much or as little food coloring as you wish.
  • Don’t have buttermilk? You can make your own homemade buttermilk with one cup of milk and one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Combine the two and let the mixture sit for at least 5 minutes until it curdles.
  • Feel free to garnish the cake with chopped pecans or sprinkles.
  • Can Red Velvet Cake be frozen? Yes! You can make the cake in advance and freeze it unfrosted until ready to serve. You can also freeze the frosted cake.
  • The cream cheese frosting can be made in advance and refrigerated before frosting the cake. The frosting will keep 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator.
  • Store the cake in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Steph

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whole red velvet cake with a slice cut out of it

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