Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Uniquely balanced with a gentle cocoa backdrop, a hint of tang from the buttermilk and vinegar, and a smooth, buttery sweetness.
Texture: Moist and melt-in-your-mouth soft, with just enough structure to withstand generous layers of frosting.
Ease: The batter comes together in no time!!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: It’s a tried-and-true crowd-pleaser. The red color makes it a great option for holidays like Valentine’s Day, the Fourth of July, or Christmas.
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There’s something utterly irresistible about a classic Red Velvet Cake. It feels celebratory but familiar — decadent but never heavy. The combination of cocoa, vinegar, and buttermilk gives it a truly unique flavor.
This recipe in particular makes a soft, buttery, and moist cake (the trifecta 😉). If you’ve never made red velvet before, this is the perfect place to start. The batter comes together easily, bakes up beautifully, and stays incredibly soft even after frosting!
Do you want to make cupcakes instead of a cake? Check out our Red Velvet Cupcake recipe.
Great recipe, stays moist and delicious, even stood up to me messing up the way its combined. 🙂
I baked this cake for my daughter’s birthday and it was delicious!!!!
Recipe Ingredients
While the ingredient list is on the longer side, don’t let it intimidate you. It’s all easy! Each item plays an important role in creating the cake’s signature flavor and texture. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cream cheese and unsalted butter: Used in the cake and frosting for richness and structure. Make sure both are at room temperature for smooth mixing.
- Dry ingredients: This kitchen-tested combination of flour and leavening agents gives the cake lift and balance. Measure carefully (preferably with a scale) to avoid a dense crumb.
- Sugars: Granulated sugar sweetens and moistens the cake, while powdered sugar helps make the smooth, stable frosting.
- Egg and egg yolk: Adds richness and helps create a tender crumb.
- Vegetable oil: Keeps the cake moist even after chilling (butter is not a good substitute).
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Just enough to give classic red velvet depth without turning it into a chocolate cake.
- Hot coffee (or boiling water): Hot liquid blooms the cocoa, bringing out its full flavor. Water works as a substitute if needed, but coffee is preferred.
- My Best Chocolate Cake is another delicious coffee-infused cake!
- Buttermilk: This helps create the tenderness and flavor. I don’t recommend substituting it, but whole milk can work in a pinch with slightly different results.
- Distilled white vinegar and vanilla extract: This recipe uses small amounts to balance the sweetness and activate the leavening process.
- Red gel food coloring: I recommend using gel food coloring over natural or liquid options. I use the Americolor or Chefmaster brands!
- Ground cinnamon (optional): This adds a subtle warmth and enhances the cocoa without being overpowering.
The Perfect Frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting is the go-to for red velvet cake because its tangy flavor complements the cake’s sweetness so well. This is the same frosting I use on my Red Velvet Cookies, and it works just as beautifully on layered cakes.
For something more sturdy or to add more detailed cake decorations, try my Best Buttercream Frosting instead.
Storing & Freezing
- Storing: The cream cheese frosting for this cake will spoil if left out for extended periods. Store the cake, covered, at room temperature for up to 6 hours, then refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the cake for up to 2 months. Chill until the frosting is firm, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. If freezing the cake whole, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Thaw individual slices in the fridge or at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
- Make-ahead: To prepare in advance, wrap the uncut, cooled cake layers tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag or airtight container. Store cake layers at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Note: A fully frozen, well-sealed cake is still safe to eat after extended freezing (like for an anniversary bite), but some quality loss is normal. Over time, moisture migrates out of the cake, resulting in a drier, slightly spongy texture. The frosting may become grainy or weepy once thawed, and freezer odors may develop.
More Cake Recipes You’ll Love
Looking for more tried-and-true cakes? Browse some of my favorite cake recipes below, perfect for birthdays, holidays, and special occasions.
FAQs
Red velvet cake is buttery, moist, and plush, with a soft, airy crumb. It has a mild chocolate flavor and subtle tang that gives it more depth than a standard vanilla cake.
Not at all — it’s got a personality all its own! Unlike chocolate cake, red velvet cake uses only a small amount of unsweetened cocoa powder. It’s just enough to add color and depth, but let the other flavors shine through. The tangy ingredients help balance the sweetness and truly set it apart.
For a red velvet recipe that’s on the more chocolatey side, try my Chocolate-Stuffed Red Velvet Cupcakes!
Vinegar enhances the subtle tangy flavor that makes red velvet cake distinct, while also playing an important role in the cake’s texture. It reacts with the baking soda, alongside the buttermilk and cocoa powder, to help create soft, tender layers.
A few key elements work together to create that perfectly moist and fluffy crumb. Oil keeps the cake moist even after chilling or refrigeration, and the tiny bit of cocoa ensures it doesn’t dry out.
Be careful not to overmix the batter, as this can prevent the crumb from turning out tender and light.
You can, but for the best results, I recommend using my Red Velvet Cupcakes recipe! It uses the same base flavors as this cake, with a few small adjustments to ensure the cupcakes bake evenly.
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Ingredients
For the cake:
- ½ cup of 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:
- 2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 4 cups (500 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 16 ounces (454 grams) brick-style cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 325°F and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment rounds.
- Spray parchment and sides of pans generously with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a glass measuring cup, whisk the hot coffee and cocoa powder together, then cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, and melted butter. Add in the eggs and egg yolk and whisk for around twenty seconds (or until very well combined). Add in the buttermilk, vanilla, and red food coloring and whisk to combine. Whisk in the vinegar and coffee mixture.
- Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the flour mixture into the batter in three additions, whisking until each addition is incorporated.
- Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans, then tap the bottoms of the pans against the counter several times to release any air bubbles.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Place the cake pans on cooling racks, and when they’re cool enough to touch, run a thin knife around the edges of the pans to loosen the cakes. Invert onto the wire racks and let cool completely.
For the frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and sifted powdered sugar on low. Gradually increase to medium-high to prevent a sugar cloud.
- Beat for 3 minutes until the mixture is pale, light, thick, but smooth. It may look dry or crumbly at first, but keep beating until it holds together.
- Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and paddle, then add the cream cheese and beat on medium-high for 1 minute until fluffy.
- Add the vanilla and salt and beat for 30 seconds until fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl again as needed.
To assemble:
- Lay one cake layer flat-side up on a cake plate or pedestal. Tuck in strips of baking paper under the cake edges to keep the plate clean.
- Use about a third of the frosting to fill the bottom cake layer, then top with the second cake layer and repeat.
- Place the final cake layer flat-side up and use the remaining frosting to ice the whole cake.
Notes
This post was originally published in 2013 and updated in 2022 with recipe improvements and new photos. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
Hi! Hoping to make this recipe tomorrow afternoon (Friday) for Saturday. 2 questions:
1. Is it just hot drip coffee/Americano
2. So if I bake and frost this the night before can I just stick in the fridge and bring it to a party Saturday night? I see it should be covered? Please advise thank you!
Hi Emily! Tessa actually discusses this in the pink tip box, above the recipe. You can use hot drip coffee, or just hot water if you prefer. You can store this cake refrigerated for up to 3 days (if you have a cake keeper, feel free to store in that, but otherwise, uncovered is fine before the cake is cut!) I hope that helps, Emily! Be sure to read through all Tessa’s great tips and tricks in the pink tip box above the recipe, before you make this cake – there’s a lot of great info in there! Let us know what you think of this cake once you’ve given it a try 🙂
Hi! What if i dont have distilled white vinegar?
Hi Kara! We have only tested this recipe using white vinegar, but I would think apple cider vinegar should work just fine in its place, if you have that handy! The vinegar in this recipe helps activate the baking soda, together with the buttermilk, to create a super light cake. It also helps to preserve the red color in the baked cake, too, so I wouldn’t skip it. We can’t wait to hear what you think of this cake once you have given it a try! 🙂
Fabulous. Fab. U. Lous.
1. The flavor. Omg, the flavor. Chocolate with secrets. Multi-layered and subtle. Rich, teasing, inviting. Seductive.
2. Notes: This was my first time making a cake from scratch.
–The directions were super-clear.
–Whisking the ingredients was genius.
–I used 9″ pans and got confused adding the extra time. I think 12 extra min. would have been perfect.
–Used parchment rounds. Cooled as per instructions. Un-panned, and wrapped in plastic wrap to be frosted the next day. Perfect.
3. Chose this recipe because it used regular flour (daughter needs unbleached flour) and regular sugar.
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. Making this cake was a WONDERFUL baking experience.
Hi!
Is it possible to use a baking sheet instead? I would like to cut the cake into different shapes for the Valentine.
Thank youu
Hi Charlotte! We haven’t tried that, but some of our readers have successfully made this cake into a 9×13-inch sheet cake, so hopefully that will work for you. Let us know how it goes 🙂
Hi there!
I’m planning on making this cake but wondering if I can substitute the vegetable oil for olive oil?
Ni Nina! We haven’t tried using olive oil in this cake, and we worry that the earthy/grassy flavor would be too strong. We recommend using vegetable oil, or any flavorless oil, for best results. Of course, if you’re up for experimenting, feel free to give the olive oil a try, and let us know how it goes 🙂
Awesome cake! My mother’s classic recipe says to mix the vinegar and baking soda together separately before adding that mixture into the cake batter. I thought this was standard, but maybe since you added in the hot coffee that negates this requirement?
Hi Adrian! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this cake! We don’t find that pre-mixing the baking soda and vinegar is necessary. The vinegar and the buttermilk in this recipe will easily help activate the baking soda in this recipe, without the need for pre-mixing. I hope that helps! Happy baking 🙂
Wondering how much adding coffee changes the flavor? Let me know. Also I wanted to make cupcakes. Hoping to make this today so I hope I get a response soon 🙂
Hi Deltalee! We don’t believe the coffee alters the flavor, other than enhancing the chocolate flavor. If you’re worried about too much of a coffee flavor, you can simply use hot water instead. Check out all Tessa’s tips and information in the pink tip box above the recipe, including tips for making this recipe into cupcakes. I hope that helps! Let us know what you think once you’ve given this recipe a try 🙂
I’m not a fan of using artificial food coloring, Although the color may not be as appetizing, I was considering leaving it out, Would I need to replace the liquid that the food coloring with water to balance out the recipe?
Hi Julie! We haven’t tried omitting the food coloring ourselves, but it shouldn’t alter the flavor or texture of the cake if you omit it. You could add 3 teaspoons of hot water/coffee in its place, if you wish. Let us know what you think if you give this recipe a try! Happy baking!
Hello, I would love to try this recipe using coffee. Is Decaf okay to use?
Thank you for your help!
Yes, that’s totally fine, Liz! Check out Tessa’s tips and information in the pink tip box, above the recipe, for more helpful hints 🙂 Let us know what you think of this cake once you’ve given it a try! Happy baking!
hi! Is there any healthier alternative with the sugar? Or is it possible to lessen the required measurement of the sugar? Will it affect the whole product? Thank you
Hi Nicole! Please check out Tessa’s article about the importance of sugar in baking to help answer your question 🙂
Hello:))
Can you pleeease help me understand your cup measuring?
I googled how much ml in 1 cup so I’m completely confused…
2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
4 cups (500 grams) powdered sugar
I believe it’s different kind of cups…Would you kindly explain how much ml in 1 cup of buttermilk?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Yuliia! I recommend getting Tessa’s terrific Ingredient Measuring Guide (click here to have it emailed to you) for help on the different weights of sugars and more. We really recommend you weigh all your dry ingredients, for the most accurate measurements. US dry and liquid measuring cups are different. A US liquid measuring cup is 1 cup = 250 mL. I hope that helps! Happy baking 🙂
Not a fan of red velvet – I always find it tastes “muted” but my husband requested one for his birthday. I made this cake and it was out of this world! Best I have ever had anywhere!