Description
You can make this authentic Southern Red Velvet Cake from scratch. It is perfectly moist, soft, and easy to mix up. Finish it with the best homemade cream cheese frosting for a showstopping dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring (liquid or gel)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil and granulated sugar until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, white vinegar, and red food coloring. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and baking soda.
- Add the flour and the cocoa mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture to the oil mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Gently stir in the red food coloring until the batter is uniformly colored.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the cream cheese frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla extract until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Once the cake layers are completely cool, frost and stack the layers to create your red velvet layer cake.
Notes
- For the most vibrant red velvet cake color, use a good quality gel food coloring.
- True Southern red velvet cake gets its slight tang and moistness from the reaction between the buttermilk and vinegar, so do not skip these ingredients.
- You can easily make this an easy baking recipe by preparing the batter in about 5 minutes using just a whisk.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 55
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 14
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 55