The Best Food Coloring
We highly recommend using gel food coloring rather than a liquid one. We purchased the 12-color starter kit which is great for any baking project.
- Gel is more concentrated so you need less of it. This cake calls for just 1/2 teaspoon of super red #120 gel color and you could get away with using 1/4 tsp and still maintain a nice color.
- Gel is thicker which means its less likely to water down your batter or frosting.
The Most Incredible Red Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting Fluffy Soft Buttery And Moist With The Most Perfect Velvet Texture
Super easy to make Red Velvet Cake is similar to the original recipe that started it all! Made entirely from scratch with a few tips and tricks, this is one cake that takes centre stage! Softer than most cakes with a mouth-watering velvet-like texture in each bite.
Any cake that layered and slathered with a cream cheese frosting can sit by me with a huge spoon. Out of all cakes on this blog, this one is my favourite.
Red Velvet Cake Frosting
Old-fashioned red velvet cake was iced with ermine icing . Today, Southern Red Velvet Cake recipes call for easier-to-prepare cream cheese frosting or buttercream frosting.
Spread the frosting between the two cake layers, and then on the top and sides of the cake.
The frosting will be soft at room temperature, but will firm up in the refrigerator.
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What Is Cake Flour
Lets be honest, theres nothing more frustrating than realizing youre missing an ingredient in the middle of baking. I recently shared an easy homemade buttermilk substitute with you, so today I want to share another substitute homemade cake flour.
Cake flour vs. regular flour. Cake flour is made from soft wheat and is much finer than all-purpose flour. The main difference between the two is the protein content, cake flour usually has about 7-9% and all-purpose flour can have anywhere from 10-12%.
The lower protein content means that it forms less gluten as youre mixing everything together, which results in a softer and lighter texture. This makes it perfect for recipes where you want a lighter texture, like with cakes and cupcakes.
So today, Im showing you how to make your own with just two ingredients. And I bet you probably have both ingredients on hand right now!
Perfect Red Velvet Cake
My mom and I have been using the same Red Velvet Cake recipe for as long as I can remember. Its the one she used when I was a kid and the one Ive always made. And while its delicious, I knew it could be better. And since it was a recipe that was given to her, I can say that. I wouldnt be bad talking my own mamas recipe, folks. I know better than that. But since it isnt hers I can say I knew it could be better.
So over the course of the last few years, Ive tweaked and changed, swapped and substituted, and come up with something that I think is dang near perfection. Its light and tender, super moist, crazy flavorful with a bold red color, and its covered in a decadent cream cheese frosting thats studded with toasted pecans. Do I have your attention?
Admittedly, Im not a huge fan of the fuss of layer cakes give me a sheet cake any day! but every now and then a special occasion warrants a special cake. And this is the one.
So lets talk about what makes this cake so special
We start with cake flour. I know, its not necessarily something that you have in the pantry, but its important. Cake flour is a very fine, low protein flour. It makes cakes super tender because the lack of protein helps prevent gluten formation which makes baked goods chewy. Gluten is a great thing in pizza crust, but not in cake. Se we use a low protein flour to keep it from developing. Its pretty easy to get your hands on.
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How To Make Red Velvet Wreath Cake
Red velvet cake is baked and then decorated like a beautiful Christmas wreath with sprinkles and a bow for a delicious dessert the whole family will enjoy!
Are you ready to get started?
Youll find the specific ingredient amounts and detailed instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
Easy Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Disclaimer:affiliate links Jump to Recipe
If youre interested in a new dessert to share with your friends and family, then this is the recipe for you. This 3-ingredient Easy Red Velvet Cake Recipe will have your loved ones coming around for seconds. This recipe is great for any occasion and may just become a new favorite. The secret to making this cake so light and fluffy is by using cool whip!
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How To Make Easy Red Velvet Cake
Set the oven to 350 degrees.
Add the cake mix, cool whip, and egg in a large mixing bowl and beat to combine.
Grease an 8 x 8 pan and add the batter into it.
Add a dusting of powdered sugar on top.
Place in the oven for 35-40 minutes or place a tester in the middle and if it comes out clean it is done.
Let the cake sit for 5 minutes to cool and carefully press one Hershey kiss in the center.
Then, let it cool thoroughly before serving.
How To Make Cake Flour
To start, youll measure out one cup of all-purpose flour. One important thing to remember for this step is that you need to spoon your all-purpose flour into the measuring cup then level it off with the back of a knife.
If you scoop your flour from the container, it can become packed inside the cup and you can end up with WAY too much flour.
Then, remove two tablespoons of the flour and add it back to your flour bag or container. Next, replace the two tablespoons of flour with two tablespoons of cornstarch .
Why cornstarch? The cornstarch inhibits some of the gluten formation, which results in a softer baked good.
Once youve added the cornstarch, whisk it into the flour until well combined and sift the mixture 4-5 times. This will help aerate the flour and incorporate the two together really well.
Then, measure out the amount of cake flour needed in your recipe by spooning the sifted flour into your measuring cup and leveling it off with the back of a knife.
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What Gives Red Velvet Cake Its Flavor
The distinct flavors of red velvet cake come from the buttermilk, vinegar, cocoa powder, and cream cheese frosting. Some red velvet cake recipes use only a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder, giving virtually no chocolate flavor. This leads some people to think that red velvet cake is simply a white cake dyed red. A true red velvet cake is a distinct chocolate flavor in addition to a slight acidic flavor.
How To Make Red Velvet Cake From Scratch
Thought to have originated sometime in the Victorian era, Red Velvet Cake was initially a fancy dessert reserved for the elite or special occasions. Its soft, velvety crumb set it apart from the more common coarser-crumb cakes of the time. And while it certainly looks impressive, this easy red velvet cake recipe is actually quite simple to prepare. Skip the boxed mix and make it from scratch — you’re worthy of an “elite” dessert, too!
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How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting
To make this homemade cream cheese frosting, youll start by adding your softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl and mixing it until its smooth. Then, add the softened butter and mix until the cream cheese and butter are fully combined.
Next, youll add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue mixing until everything is well combined and the frosting is smooth and creamy. I recommend stopping to scrape down the sides of your bowl once or twice and mixing again to ensure that everything is thoroughly mixed together.
Once the frosting is ready, you can use it on top of just about any dessert or refrigerate it until youre ready to use it.
Pro Tips For This Recipe
- Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you dont have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- If youre not using 6-inch pans, double the recipe for 8-inch pans or triple the recipe for 9-inch pans.
- Skip the food coloring if you want a great tasting cake that isnt red.
- To get FLAT layers that are moist inside and out try using cake strips! You can buy a set on the shop page or make your own from foil and paper towels at home. I made a whole blog post on it so check it out if youre interested!
- For nice uniform crumbs for decorating use the fine grater, or just whip out that cheese grater!
- This red velvet cake recipe also makes an AWESOME sheet cake! Youll save tons of time and you can pour less sugar into the frosting since you wont have to worry about consistency. I would use approximately a 9×13 inch pan if youre making this as a sheet cake.
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Tips For The Best Red Velvet Cake Recipe
- Make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature. This helps them blend together more easily and smoothly.
- Use thick, whole, real buttermilk if possible. This is the liquid that runs off a batch of fresh butter, not to be confused with the cultured milk that’s often labeled as buttermilk in grocery stores.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving. The cream cheese frosting will be quite soft when first spread, so you’ll have a cleaner cut if you give the cake time to firm up.
- For a three-layer cake, divide the batter between three 9-inch round cake pans instead of two. Bake the thinner cake layers for about 22-25 minutes. You should have enough frosting for that extra layer, too.
- Sift the confectioners’ sugar to avoid any lumps in your frosting.
- Use full-fat block-style cream cheese for the frosting. The cream cheese frosting will be thin and runny if you substitute with low fat cream cheese or cream cheese spread from a tub.
Kitchen Tools You May Need
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- Measuring Spoons I LOVE my set of these!
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Classic Red Velvet Cake
The classic red velvet cake is a timeless recipe that all home bakers should master. Its deep red colour and moist, tender crumb is perfectly complimented by a generous dollop of fluffy cream cheese icing.
If youd like to bake a single layer cake or cupcakes using this recipe, scroll to the bottom of the method for ingredient conversions.
Classic Red Velvet Cake
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Cream Cheese Icing
This Best Red Velvet Cake Recipe You Will Ever Try
My mom would always make this velvet red cake cake from scratch on Christmas when I was growing up. I never really thought too much about it, except that it was a special occasion cake. She would go to the trouble of making the cake, cooking the frosting, and carefully frosting it. It was a rustic beauty.
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How To Make Buttermilk
For this DIY buttermilk recipe, youll need some milk and an acid. You can use any kind of milk, I typically use whole milk because its what I usually have on hand. For the acid, I usually use fresh lemon juice, but you can also use distilled white vinegar.
Youll start by adding 1 tablespoon of either fresh lemon juice or distilled white vinegar into a measuring cup.
Once youve added the acid, pour in 1 scant cup of milk. In other words, youll pour the milk into the measuring cup until it reaches the 1 cup line. Then, stir the mixture together well and set it aside for about 5 to 10 minutes before using it in your recipe. The mixture should look a little curdled, thats when you know its ready.
Side note: I use these OXO angled measuring cups and love them! You dont have to worry about getting to eye level with the measuring cup to make sure you have the right amount.
Ingredients For Homemade Red Velvet Cake
- Butter: gives the red velvet cake its classic buttery flavor
- Sugar: sweetness
- Oil: for moisture. The butter gives you the flavor, but the oil helps to prevent a dry cake.
- Eggs: structure
- Red food coloring: two 1-ounce bottles of liquid food coloring give this cake a beautiful, vibrant red color.
- Vinegar: a traditional ingredient in this cake, the vinegar helps brighten the red hue and tenderizes the crumb. You can’t actually taste the vinegar itself.
- Vanilla extract: for flavor
- Cake flour: While you can sub with all-purpose flour in a pinch, the cake flour has a lighter texture, which creates a softer, lighter cake with that hallmark “velvet” consistency.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: contributes to the red color and adds a very subtle hint of chocolate in the background. If you prefer a slightly more prominent chocolate flavor, increase the cocoa powder to 2 tablespoons.
- Salt: for flavor
- Baking soda: leavening that helps the cake rise
- Buttermilk: use thick, whole buttermilk if possible. It’s creamy, tangy, and adds moisture to the cake. The buttermilk also reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise.
- Cream cheese: for a rich, creamy frosting. Use blocks of cream cheese .
- Confectioners’ sugar: to sweeten the frosting
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Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake
Easy to make Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cake that is tender, velvety, perfect for anyone who loves cake.
GLUTEN-FREE RED VELVET CAKE RECIPE
Every year around valentineâs day thereâs an uptick in views to my gluten free red velvet cupcakes post.
And every year people ask if they can make a gluten free red velvet cake instead of cupcakes.
Iâve written this post to included tips and tricks so you can make the perfect red velvet cake every time, regardless of what time of year it is.
Working with Gluten-Free Flours
When working with or measuring gluten-free flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour.
The best method really is to weigh the gluten-free flour but I don’t have the ingredient weights for all my recipes yet.
WHAT DOES A RED VELVET CUPCAKE TASTE LIKE?
To me, gluten-free red velvet cake tastes like a combination of flavors that pull together to form a unique, and delectable velvety cake.
With the gluten-free vanilla cake base, a little cocoa, the buttermilk , and vinegar you get a taste thatâs like no other â and itâs incredible.
We like to top this Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese frosting.
You can top this cake with a buttercream or chocolate buttercream frosting. Itâll still be amazing.
HOW TO MAKE A GLUTEN-FREE RED VELVET CAKE