Easy Cream Cheese Frosting Red Velvet Cake

This classic recipe is incredibly moist with hints of chocolate paired with a rich vanilla flavor. This is the best homemade red velvet cake recipe you'll ever make! Topped with an easy cream cheese frosting, you'll love every bite of this bright red velvety cake. It's the perfect recipe for Christmas, Valentine's Day, and birthdays!

Red Velvet Cake sitting on a glass cake dish, topped with cream cheese frosting and pecan chips.

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Quick Recipe Overview
Why This Recipe Works
The Origin And History
Ingredients You'll Need
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Frequently Asked Questions
Expert Tips
More Delectable Cake Recipes
Red Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

This is my dad's famous red velvet cake recipe. We're talking bakery quality. You wouldn't believe how many requests we get for this recipe. My dad has been making it since before I can remember. What makes this red velvet cake the best is the three layers of cake that is softer than most.

This triple-layer cake is soft and velvety, as well as moist with a hint of chocolate, butter, and vanilla. A red velvet cake should have a subtle tang from the buttermilk with a deep, rich layered flavor in every bite. It should have layer upon layer of cream cheese frosting on top and throughout. Add some pecan chips into the frosting mix and you'll have yourself one delicious dessert on your hands!

Slice of Red Velvet Cake sitting on a white lace plate topped with cream cheese frosting and pecan chips, fork on table.

The Origin And History

It originated in Maryland in the early 20th century, but has become increasingly popular in the southern parts of the United States. Around that same time, devil's food cake came out and while they are similar in taste, devil's food cake uses chocolate while red velvet uses cocoa. Traditionally, red velvet cake was not made with red food coloring. Many people used beetroot juice to get that deep scarlet color. It was considered a "fancy" cake and was originally served in high-end restaurants and hotels. This delectable cake was originally covered in a French-style butter roux icing (ermine icing), which is light and fluffy in texture, but rather difficult and time-consuming to make.

Slice of Red Velvet Cake on a white lace plate, fork on side of plate. Red Velvet Cake on glass dish.

Ingredients You'll Need

Flour is the foundation and there are many opinions around what type of flour you should use when making this. For best results, I use self-rising flour. While all-purpose flour and cake flour can also work, I've found that using self-rising flour and adding an additional teaspoon of baking soda can really help the cakes rise to the perfect level while ensuring the moisture level is where it needs to be.

What makes the red velvet cake so moist is the use of vegetable oil, sugar, added baking soda, and vinegar. The addition of additional baking soda plays multiple roles in this recipe. Not only does it help the batter rise and obtain a high moisture level, it also pairs with the vinegar to create a chemical reaction with the cocoa powder. The combination of baking soda, vinegar, and cocoa powder is key to making a red velvet cake super moist. Using buttermilk helps get that velvety texture and adds a hint of tang to every bite.

For the cream cheese frosting, I use powdered sugar, cream cheese, and butter. Because I don't use salt in my ingredients, I use a salted butter when making the frosting. I also like to chop the pecans and fold them into the frosting, but this is optional. For a smooth homemade cream cheese frosting, leave out the nuts.

powdered sugar, pecans, cream cheese, and butter on a counter.

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

Making The Cakes

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. Place all the cake mix ingredients into a large bowl and mix for about 3 minutes on medium speed.

red velvet cake ingredients in a bowl of a standing mixer.

If you have a standing electric mixer, I recommend using it with this recipe. I use the wire whisk attachment. While an electric mixer works, the mix feature on a standing mixer is so gentle and allows the perfect amount of air in and that contributes to the moisture level.

standing mixer combining red velvet cake ingredients.

Next, you'll want to coat three 9-inch round cake pans. What we're trying to accomplish here is keeping the cakes from sticking to the bottom of the pans, as well as from crumbling, after the cakes have cooled. You can accomplish this multiple ways. You can use a non-stick cooking spray. You can also cover the bottoms and the sides with butter and then coat with a light dusting of flour.

If you have round mold flexipans, I highly recommend using these. You can eliminate the spray and butter and the cakes pop right out with minimal cooling time. There's no sticking to the bottom of the pans and no crumbling!

3 cake cans covered in butter and flour.

From there, pour the red velvet cake mix equally into the three pans. Bake for 22 minutes. My dad has baked these in both electric and gas ovens in multiple altitudes and the perfect baking time for the perfect doneness is at 22 minutes.

When done, remove the pans from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10-20 minutes. From there, carefully remove the cakes from the pans and place them directly on the cooling rack until they are completely cool.

cooked red velvet cake layer upside down on a cooling rack.

Making The Frosting

While the cakes are cooling, combine the butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar in a large bowl. If you have a standing mixer, use the wire whisk attachment. Start by mixing slowly on low speed, increasing the speed to medium for 2-3 or until the frosting is well combined and slightly fluffy.

butter, powdered sugar, and cream cheese in standing mixer.

Expert Tip: If you're adding in chopped pecans, slowly sprinkle in 1 ¼ cup after 1 minute of mixing so they are well combined in the frosting.

person pouring in chopped pecans into a standing mixer for making cream cheese frosting.

The cream cheese frosting should be a little thick, but also have a bit of fluff.

A bowl of freshly made cream cheese frosting.

When the cakes have completely cooled, place one layer of cake directly on a plate or stand. Using a spatula or a butter knife, gently spread a layer of frosting onto the top of one of the cake layers.

Person adding cream cheese frosting onto a layer of red velvet cake.

Put the second layer of cake on top of the iced layer and gently spread a layer of frosting like you did to the first layer. Put the third layer on and evenly spread the cream cheese frosting onto the top and sides of the cake.

Once frosted, allow it to cool for an additional hour before serving. When you cut into it, you'll immediately be able to see the moisture in each slice!

Person slicing a Red Velvet Cake and getting ready to serve with a spatula.

I like to decorate the top of the cake with finely chopped pecans and small pieces of the cake. If you have any cooked crumbles left from the pans, run the cake crumbles and pecans through a sifter to decorate. Fresh mint sprigs also look amazing on top! Delicately rich, this is the most incredible red velvet cake that will quickly become part of your family recipe traditions!

Sliced Red Velvet Cake sitting on a glass cake dish, slice of cake on a white lace plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can be used instead of buttermilk in this red velvet cake recipe?

Buttermilk is a key ingredient to making this recipe flavorful and moist but if you're in a bind, you can use milk and lemon juice instead of the buttermilk.

Do you need to sift the dry ingredients when making this red velvet cake recipe?

There are many different schools of thought to this question but for this recipe, I don't sift the dry ingredients. The texture of this cake is slightly dense which helps contribute to the moisture level. If you sift the dry ingredients, the consistency will be too fluffy for this classic cake recipe.

How can you make cupcakes from this red velvet cake recipe?

Simply line the cupcake pans with liners and then fill each one with a little over half way full with the batter. Cook for 20 minutes and allow them to completely cool before frosting.

How do I store red velvet cake?

It can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days. To lock in the moisture, ensure it remains covered in a cake dish.

Expert Tips

You'll get better volume if you use room temperature eggs. Set them out on the counter 30 minutes before using.
For a fluffier frosting, use room temperature cream cheese and butter.
For best results, use the exact measurements this recipe calls for. Never eyeball the measurements with this recipe.
I've had the best results when I use self rising flour. While you can use all purpose flour or cake flour, I find that they don't rise enough. I don't recommend using gluten free flour in this recipe.
To get the top of each layer super flat, use a cake leveler to evenly cut off a thin layer of the roundness of the cake. You can also use a serrated knife. Just ensure you are cutting a thin layer.
The thin layers, as well as any crumbs that were left over in the pan when removing the cakes, can be used to decorate the top. Take the crumbs and either break into small pieces or run the crumbs through a sifter with some of the pecan chips. This decorating tip definitely makes it look more festive!
While 22 minutes is the perfect time to remove the pans from the oven, you can also test for doneness by inserting a toothpick. When a toothpick comes out clean, it's done.
Be sure to not overcook. Even when you remove them from the oven, they will continue to cook while cooling, which is why I remove them at 22 minutes.

Piece of a 3 layered Red Velvet Cake sitting on a white lace plate, sliced Red Velvet Cake sitting on a glass cake dish.

More Delectable Cake Recipes

Everyone loves a good cake recipe and I have some of the best around! My Orange Vanilla Bundt Cake is another super moist dessert and is infused with orange zest! It's topped with an easy vanilla frosting and mini chocolate chips! And this Apple Cinnamon Cake With Butter Rum is seasonal, mixed with ground cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg topped with a creamy butter and spiced rum glaze. It's moist and flavorful!

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. Make sure you leave me a comment and star rating below. I love hearing from you! And make sure you sign up for my email newsletter so you never miss a recipe from me!

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Red Velvet Cake sitting on a glass cake dish, topped with cream cheese frosting and pecan chips.

Cake Ingredients

▢ 2½ cups self rising flour
▢ 1 cup buttermilk
▢ 1½ cups vegetable oil
▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ ¼ cup red food coloring, (two 1 oz. bottles)
▢ 1½ cups granulated sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
▢ 1 teaspoon white vinegar
▢ 2 eggs, room temperature

Frosting Ingredients

▢ 8 Tablespoons plus ⅓ sticks butter, room temperature
▢ 10 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
▢ 16 ounces powdered sugar
▢ 2 cups pecan pieces, finely chopped

For the cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Put all the cake mix ingredients into a large bowl and mix for about 3 minutes on medium speed.

NOTE: You can use a standing mixture or handheld electric mixer.
Spray three 9-inch round cake pans with a non-stick cooking spray. You can also cover the bottoms and the sides of the pans with butter and then coat with a light dusting of flour.
Pour the batter equally into the three pans. Bake for 22 minutes.
When done, remove the pans from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for 10-20 minutes. From there, carefully remove the cakes from the pans and place them directly on the cooling rack until they are completely cool.

For the frosting

Combine the butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Start by mixing slowly on low speed, increasing to medium speed for 2-3 or until the frosting is well combined and slightly fluffy.

NOTE: You can use a standing mixture or handheld electric mixer.
If you're adding in chopped pecans, slowly add in 1 ¼ cup after 1 minute of mixing so they are well combined in the frosting.

To assemble the cake

When the cakes have completely cooled, place one layer directly on a cake stand.
Using a spatula or a butter knife, gently spread a layer of frosting onto the top of one of the layers.
Put the second layer of cake on top of the iced layer and gently spread a layer of frosting like you did to the first layer.
Put the third layer on and evenly spread the cream cheese frosting onto the top and sides of the cake.
Once frosted, allow it to cool for an additional hour before serving. When you cut into it, you'll immediately be able to see the moisture in each slice!

You'll get better volume if you use room temperature eggs. Set them out on the counter 30 minutes before using.
For a fluffier frosting, use room temperature cream cheese and butter.
For best results, use the exact measurements this recipe calls for. Never eyeball the measurements.
I've had the best results when I use self rising flour. While you can use all purpose flour or cake flour, I find that the cakes don't rise enough. I don't recommend using gluten free flour in this recipe.
To get perfectly flat layers, use a cake leveler to evenly cut off a thin layer of the roundness of the cake. You can also use a serrated knife. Just ensure you are cutting a thin layer.
I like to decorate the top with finely chopped pecans and small pieces of the cake. If you have any cooked crumbles left from the pans, run the mixture and pecans through a sifter and top. Fresh mint sprigs also look amazing on top!
While 22 minutes is the perfect time to remove the pans from the oven, you can also test for doneness by inserting a toothpick. When a toothpick comes out clean, it's done.
Be sure to not overcook. Even when you remove them from the oven, they will continue to cook while cooling, which is why I remove them at 22 minutes.

Update Notes: This post was originally published in February 2018, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures, and tips in December 2021.

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Source: https://recipesworthrepeating.com/red-velvet-cake/