Go Back
–+ servings
Red velvet cake slice topped with cream cheese frosting.

The Best Red Velvet Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

Bake the best moist Red Velvet Cake Recipe from scratch! Get a soft, velvety crumb and mild cocoa flavor paired with tangy cream cheese frosting.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 704

Equipment

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

  • 2 & ½ cups / 315 g All Purpose Flour
  • 2 tbsp / 10 g Cocoa Powder
  • 1 tsp / 4 g Baking Soda
  • ½ tsp / 2 g Baking Powder
  • ½ tsp / 3 g Salt

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1 & ½ cups / 300 g Granulated Sugar
  • 2 large Eggs
  • ½ cup / 115 g Unsalted Butter
  • ¼ cup / 60 ml Oil
  • 1 cup / 237 ml Buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp / 30 ml Boiling Water
  • 2 tsp / 10 ml Vanilla Essence
  • 2 tsp / 10 ml White Distilled Vinegar
  • 1-2 tbsp / 15 g Food Coloring

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 400 grams Cream Cheese
  • ¾ cup / 170 g Unsalted Butter
  • 4 cups / 480 g Powdered Sugar
  • 1 tsp / 5 ml Vanilla Essence
  • ½ tsp / 3 g Salt

Instructions

Prep the Pans and Oven

  • Take two 8-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper.
  • Grease and line with parchment paper.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius.

Mix Dry Ingredients

  • Sift through a sieve and mix together all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
  • Set the dry ingredients aside for later.

Mix Wet Ingredients

  • Place butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric beater or in a stand mixer until smooth and light. Then add the eggs one at a time, beating until combined.
  • Add oil, buttermilk, boiling water, vanilla essence, white distilled vinegar, and red food coloring to the bowl and mix until well combined.

Combine Batter and Bake

  • Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
  • Mix between each addition until everything is well combined, and the batter is ready.
  • Divide the cake batter between two 8-inch baking pans.
  • Bake the cakes for about 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool Completely

  • Take the cakes out of the oven and cool them in the pans on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
  • Now, release the cakes from the pans and let them cool down completely.

Make Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a mixing bowl, combine the unsalted butter, cream cheese, vanilla essence, and salt. Beat the mixture with a hand or stand mixer on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
  • Add sifted powdered sugar/icing sugar gradually and beat on low speed until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
  • Then increase the power to medium-high and beat for about 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk or cream to thin it out. If it’s too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar.

Assemble, Serve, and Enjoy!

  • Using a large serrated knife or cake leveler, slice a thin layer off the top of each cake to create a flat surface.
  • Add the prepared cream cheese frosting on top of the first layer of cake and put the other layer on top. Finish layering the frosting evenly.
  • Once the cake is well covered, refrigerate it for 30 minutes, and you’re ready to serve. For best results, refrigerate the cake for at least 1 to 2 hours.
  • Cut slices and serve chilled.