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Home » Recipes » Sweets » Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake

Published: Mar 17, 2021 · Modified: Feb 9, 2022

woman frosting cake

Adam’s Extract claims the Red Velvet Cake as their own invention, and I have no doubt. Other’s claim the recipe as their creation, but those institutions are non-Texan, so in my Texas-centric book, they don’t count.

woman sifting powdered sugar
Making some frosting…

A Texas Classic

If you know anything about Texas food, you know about Adam’s Extract. Since 1888, Adam’s Extract has been in every pantry and kitchen cupboard. In addition to richly flavorful extracts, Adam’s Extract also make a wide array of food colorings. I use their vanilla all the time, and I even have some very old bottles of vanilla of my grandmothers’ that I use as props.

You will need quite a bit of red food coloring to make this classic Red Velvet Cake and just a hint of cocoa, which gives the cake an incredibly fine crumb. I have paired the cake with a classic cream cheese frosting, but even a simple glaze will do for this rich, velvety cake.

overhead of red cakes
Ready to assemble!
bowl of frosting
Bowl of frosting?…yes, please!

Double the Recipe for 4 Layer Cake

This recipe produces a 2-layer cake, but for the photo I made a double recipe in order to make a 4-layer cake. The frosting recipe can be made in the same quantity whether you make a 2 or 4 layer cake. I stole the frosting recipe from my Hummingbird Cake recipe. Several recipes in my research for Red Velvet Cake used a simple powdered sugar glaze, but I like the extra creaminess of a cream cheese-based buttercream. I think it makes the red velvet effect just a bit more velvety.

frosting a cake
Silky smooth…
woman frosting cake
Such a beauty!

One of my favorite movie scenes is the armadillo shaped wedding cake in Steel Magnolias. Under the grey, armadillo colored frosting is Red Velvet Cake…a little gory, but super hilarious! We love armadillos in Texas and we also love our classic cakes, but most of all, we love a fun presentation at the table. No matter how your cake is shaped and frosted, a classic Red Velvet Cake is always a treat for the whole family!

red velvet cake on pedestal
That is my slice!
woman serving red velvet cake
Yum!
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Red Velvet Cake

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Melissa Guerra
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 16 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

4 oz butter, softened (115g)

1 ½ cups sugar (300g)

2 eggs

2 tsp. cocoa powder (4g)

2 ¼ cups cake flour (288g)

1 tsp. salt (4g)

1 cup buttermilk (240ml)

2 fluid ounces red food coloring (60ml)

2 tsp. vanilla (10ml)

1 tsp. baking soda (6g)

1 tsp. white vinegar (5ml)

Frosting:

12 oz cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened (340g)

6 oz butter, cut into cubes and softened (173g)

2 tsp. vanilla extract (10ml)

1 lb. powdered sugar (500g)

Instructions

Heat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Prepare two 9” (23cm) round cake pans by greasing and flouring them. You may choose to line the inside bottom of pan with a round of parchment paper for easier release once the cakes are baked. 

In the bowl of an electric mixture, cream together the butter and sugar for about 1 minute. Add the eggs and continue to cream for another minute.

In a separate bowl, combine the cocoa powder, flour and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, red food coloring and vanilla. Set aside. Incorporate alternate portions of the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture into the creamed butter and egg mixture. Using a rubber spatula, make sure that all of the dry ingredients that cling to the inside of the bowl are incorporated. 

Once the batter is well combined, mix the baking soda and vinegar together in a small bowl and stir immediately into the cake batter. Mix well and then pour equal portions of the batter into the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick come out clean from the center. 

Remove the cake pans from the oven, allow to cool about 5 minutes and then remove the cakes from the pans. Allow to cool on wire racks.

Meanwhile, make the frosting by creaming together the softened cream cheese and butter cubes. Add the vanilla. Stir in the powdered sugar a spoonful at a time until all is incorporated. Beat with a mixer for about 1 minute. When the cake is completely cool, frost the cake.

Notes

You can make a half-sized Red Velvet Cake by pouring all of the cake batter into a greased and floured 4 cup mold and baking for 30-35 minutes. Here is the adjusted ingredient list.

2 oz butter, softened (57g)

3/4 cups sugar (150g)

1 egg

1 tsp. cocoa powder (2g)

1 1/8 cups cake flour (144g)

1/2 tsp. salt (2g)

1/2 cup buttermilk (120ml)

1 fluid ounces red food coloring (30ml)

1 tsp. vanilla (5ml)

1/2 tsp. baking soda (3g)

1/2 tsp. white vinegar (3ml)

 

Frosting:

6 oz cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened (170g)

3 oz butter, cut into cubes and softened (87g)

1 tsp. vanilla extract (5ml)

8oz powdered sugar (250g)

 

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

small red cake on platter
Half sized Red Velvet Cake
small red cake on platter
Half sized Red Velvet Cake
woman holding small cake on platter
Half sized Red Velvet Cake

Filed Under: Recipes, Sweets Tagged With: cake, classic, dessert, pastel, red, texas, velvet

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Christie Law

    April 2, 2021 at 6:18 am

    Thank you for sharing such amazing recipes!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Melissa Guerra

      April 11, 2021 at 10:53 am

      thank you for follwoing Christie!

      Reply

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Melissa Guerra is an 8th generation Texan, born and raised on a working cattle ranch in South Texas. She is a self taught culinary expert and food historian, specializing in the food ways of the American continent, especially Texas regional, Mexican, and Latin American cuisine. Read More…

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