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4.9 from 87 votes

Red Velvet Cake

The perfect red velvet cake recipe with sweet cream cheese frosting

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 16
Course: Dessert

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cake flour (or all-purpose flour)
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter cut into cubes
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 - 2 Tablespoons Red food coloring may do less depending on preference
  • 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • (2) ounce pkgs. cream cheese (room temperature and softened)
  • 12 Tablespoons butter (3/4 cup or 1 1/2 sticks, softened)
  • 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a standing mixer, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Beat the butter into the flour mixture, one cube at a time. Continue to beat until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil, red food coloring, and vanilla.
  5. Add the buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and beat the batter until thoroughly mixed.
  6. Take a spatula and scrape the sides of the bowl.
  7. Spread into two greased 8 or 9-inch cake pans and smooth tops with a spatula.
  8. Bake for 16-22 minutes, depending on the depth of pans. If the cake layers are thin, they will cook for less time than the thicker layers.
  9. Let cakes cool. Run a knife around edge of cake pan and flip over. Frost with cream cheese frosting.
  10. To make frosting:
  11. In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. If using a Kitchenaid mixer, use the whisk attachment.
  12. Add powdered sugar and mix until creamy.
  13. If using a vanilla bean, split vanilla bean in half and use the tip of the knife to scrape the vanilla bean paste from each side of the vanilla bean pod.
  14. If using vanilla extract, add to frosting and stir until combined.
  15. Spread on cooled red velvet cake. Cover tightly.