Description

This classic Red Velvet Cake recipe produces a moist, tender, and velvety cake with a subtle cocoa flavor and a vibrant red color, perfectly paired with a creamy vanilla cream cheese frosting. The cake layers are made with a careful combination of coffee, cocoa powder, and buttermilk, resulting in a rich texture balanced by the smooth and fluffy cream cheese frosting. Ideal for celebrations or as a decadent dessert, this recipe delivers a visually stunning and delicious cake that’s easy to assemble and sure to impress.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake:

½ cup plain hot coffee or boiling water
¼ cup (21 grams) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2 ¼ cups (279 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
½ cup (109 grams) fresh vegetable oil
1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 teaspoons red gel food coloring, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

16 ounces (454 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups (500 grams) powdered sugar, sifted

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Instructions

Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper rounds and spray the parchment and sides generously with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Make cocoa mixture: In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the hot coffee and unsweetened cocoa powder until smooth. Cover and allow to stand for 5 minutes to develop flavor.
Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and optional ground cinnamon until well combined.
Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and melted butter until blended. Add the eggs and egg yolk, whisking for about twenty seconds until well combined. Then stir in the buttermilk, vanilla extract, red gel food coloring, white vinegar, and the prepared coffee-cocoa mixture, blending thoroughly.
Sift flour into batter: Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the flour mixture into the wet batter in three additions, whisking after each addition until fully incorporated and smooth.
Divide batter and bake: Evenly divide the batter among the prepared cake pans. Tap the bottoms of the pans on the counter several times to release air bubbles. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool cakes: Place the pans on cooling racks. When cool enough to handle, run a thin knife along the edges of the pans to loosen the cakes. Invert them onto wire racks and let cool completely before frosting.
Prepare cream cheese frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until very light, creamy, and smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Add powdered sugar: On low speed, gradually add sifted powdered sugar and beat until the frosting is fluffy, about 3 minutes. Adjust consistency by adding a splash of milk or cream if too thick, or more powdered sugar if too thin.
Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer flat-side up on a cake plate or pedestal. Tuck strips of baking paper under the edges to keep the plate clean. Spread about one-third of the frosting evenly over the layer. Repeat with the second layer, then top with the final layer, flat-side up. Use remaining frosting to ice the top and sides of the cake evenly.

Notes

It is normal for the cake surface to look slightly spongy immediately after baking; this does not indicate undercooking.
White distilled vinegar can be substituted with an equal amount of lemon juice; expect a subtle citrus note masked by the cocoa and vanilla.
Ensure all wet ingredients are at room temperature for better batter consistency and cake texture.
Use gel food coloring for best color vibrancy without affecting the batter consistency.
Allow the cake layers to cool completely before frosting to avoid melting the frosting.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of cake)
Calories: 420 kcal
Sugar: 35 g
Sodium: 320 mg
Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 9 g
Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
Trans Fat: 0.2 g
Carbohydrates: 50 g
Fiber: 1.5 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 70 mg