When I was growing up, red velvet cake was a novelty because we had never seen anything like it in Cameroon. I remember my Auntie carefully measuring the ingredients and the smell of chocolatey vanilla perfection filling the house. I would watch as she whipped up the exquisitely creamy frosting, and together, we slathered it onto the cake. But the best part was seeing our guests’ eyes light up when we presented our decadent dessert! To this day, this festive, eye-catching beauty is one of my favorite desserts for special events. With its velvety texture and striking appearance, it’s guaranteed to impress!
Recipe Ingredients
Cake Frosting
How to Make Red Velvet Cake
Make the Cake
Preheat oven to 350℉/177℃. Grease two 9-inch round baking pans with baking spray, line them with parchment paper if desired, and set aside. Combine Dry Ingredients – In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside. Mix Wet Ingredients – Cream the butter and sugar at high speed in a stand mixer until it’s fluffy and starts to look white, about 4 minutes, then add sour cream. Mix thoroughly for another minute. Followed by the oil – then mix for another minute. Add Eggs one at a time, beating the mixture well between each addition. Next, add the vanilla, vinegar, and buttermilk, and then mix thoroughly. Create the Color – Add food coloring until you reach the desired color. Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients– Slowly add flour mixture into the batter. Leavening – Mix baking soda and water and gently fold them into the cake batter. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans, then tap them on the countertop to release bubbles. Bake at 350℉/177℃ for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Cool – Let the cakes sit in their pans for 10- 15 minutes. Then gently place the cakes on a wire rack and invert, lifting off the pan. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap them in plastic paper and put them in the fridge for an hour minimum (preferably overnight).
Cream Cheese Frosting
The Frosting – Whisk cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until creamy. You can use a mixer if desired. Gradually sieve in the powdered sugar, mixing as you go until smooth. Assembly – Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread about 1½ cups of cream cheese frosting over the first cake layer. Final Stretch – Top with the second layer, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with candied cranberries, if desired.
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead Instructions
This is a great make-ahead dessert! You can prep the cake layers, let them cool, and store them in the fridge overnight. You can also prepare the frosting the day before. Then just let everything come to room temperature before assembling. Alternatively, refrigerate a frosted red velvet cake overnight (cover it lightly with plastic wrap), and then let it come to room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy.
Serving and Storage Instructions
This incredible cake is definitely better when you have time to let it set up. Room temperature enables you to savor all that wonderful sweetness, but cold is also good. Feel free to freeze the assembled cake or individual slices for future sweet cravings! Make sure to wrap them in plastic, then freeze them for three months. I’ve never tested this theory because this cake is always gone too fast. But it should stay good in the fridge for five days. No, I’m sorry, the cream cheese frosting makes it a bad idea to store it at room temperature.
What to Serve With Red Velvet Cake
Decadent desserts deserve fancy beverages! Chai tea latte and blended Thai iced coffee are my faves! But it’s also the perfect ending to Southern baked mac and cheese and yellow squash casserole.
More Showstopping Cake Recipes to Try
Conclusion
Mouthwateringly delicious and visually appealing, this iconic dessert is perfect for any celebration! On what occasions do you crave red velvet cake? Let me know in the comments! [adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”zo1QRliL” upload-date=”2019-09-18T07:40:38.000Z” name=”Red Velvet Cake” description=”Red Velvet Cake – an elegant and moist layered cake baked from scratch with a chocolate buttery cake tinted red. An iconic cake with great texture, flavors and frosting!”] This blog post was originally published in December 2017 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
