Red Velvet Cake Layers

Oct 13, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

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Two bare, level rounds of red velvet cake layers stacked on a cooling rack with one slice cut to show the crumb

Tender, cocoa-tinged red velvet layers with buttermilk and a vinegar lift, made for cream cheese frosting.

Prep 25 min

Cook 30 min

Cooling 1 hr

Total 1 hr 55 min

Yield 12 slices

Diet —

Ingredients

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slices

2 ½ cups (285.0 g)cake flour
2.0 tbsp (12.0 g)natural cocoa powder
1.0 tsp (5.0 g)baking soda
½ tsp (3.0 g)fine sea salt
½ cup (113.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups (300.0 g)granulated sugar
½ cup (120.0 ml)vegetable oil
2.0 (100.0 g)large eggs
2.0 tsp (10.0 ml)pure vanilla extract
1.0 tbsp (15.0 ml)red gel food coloring
1.0 cup (240.0 ml)buttermilk, room temperature
1.0 tsp (5.0 ml)white vinegar

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 8-inch round pans, line the bottoms with parchment and butter the paper; dust with flour and tap out the excess.
Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Beat the butter and sugar 3 minutes, beat in the oil, then the eggs one at a time, the vanilla and the food coloring.
Add the flour in three additions alternating with the buttermilk. Stir in the vinegar last, mixing just until smooth.
Divide between the pans and bake 28 to 32 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in the pans 15 minutes, run a knife around the edges, turn out onto a rack, peel off the parchment and cool completely before filling.

Tips

Gel coloring gives the deepest red; liquid coloring needs twice as much.
Natural cocoa, not Dutch-process, reacts with the vinegar and buttermilk for the classic tang.
Level domed tops with a serrated knife before stacking.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make red velvet cake layers?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour to rest. The recipe makes two 8-inch layers (12 slices).

How should I store red velvet cake layers?

Wrap cooled layers tightly and keep at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 months; frost them cold from the freezer for the cleanest crumb.

Can I make red velvet cake layers ahead?

Bake the layers a day ahead, wrap and chill; cold layers are easier to fill, stack and frost.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 2 tsp pure vanilla extract (10 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Tender, cocoa-tinged red velvet layers with buttermilk and a vinegar lift, made for cream cheese frosting.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

361 Calories / serving

21.5g Fat

40.3g Carbs

3.0g Protein

34.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~4332 cal · 258g fat · 484g carbs · 36g protein · 414g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.