A classic, built from our recipes

Red Velvet Layer Cake

Name: Red Velvet Layer Cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2.5 cups cake flour; 2.0 tbsp natural cocoa powder; 1.0 tsp baking soda; 0.5 tsp fine sea salt; 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1.5 cups granulated sugar; 0.5 cup vegetable oil; 2.0 large eggs; 2.0 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1.0 tbsp red gel food coloring; 1.0 cup buttermilk, room temperature; 1.0 tsp white vinegar; 4.0 tbsp unsalted butter, softened; 4.0 oz cream cheese, softened; 2.0 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted; 1.0 tsp VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract; 2.0 tbsp whole milk, as needed; 0.125 tsp fine sea salt

The classic red velvet: tender cocoa-tinged layers with a buttermilk tang and a generous cream cheese frosting. Save some crumbs from leveling the layers to scatter over the top.

Make it your own in the Dessert Builder

What it's made of

Cake layersRed Velvet Cake Layers

FrostingCream Cheese Frosting

Makes 12 servings Active 1 hr 10 minChill or rest 1 hr 0 minParts 2

Contains milk, egg, wheat, soy (check labels)

Each part is a full recipe as written; the Dessert Builder scales them to fit this layer cake and merges the shopping list. Open it with the button above to adjust servings or swap any part.

Ingredients

Red Velvet Cake LayersCake layers · makes 12 slices

2.5 cupscake flour (285.0 g)
2.0 tbspnatural cocoa powder (12.0 g)
1.0 tspbaking soda (5.0 g)
0.5 tspfine sea salt (3.0 g)
0.5 cupunsalted butter, softened (113.0 g)
1.5 cupsgranulated sugar (300.0 g)
0.5 cupvegetable oil (120.0 ml)
2.0 large eggs (100.0 g)
2.0 tsppure vanilla extract (10.0 ml)
1.0 tbspred gel food coloring (15.0 ml)
1.0 cupbuttermilk, room temperature (240.0 ml)
1.0 tspwhite vinegar (5.0 ml)

Cream Cheese FrostingFrosting · makes 12 doughnuts

4.0 tbspunsalted butter, softened (57.0 g)
4.0 ozcream cheese, softened (113.0 g)
2.0 cupsconfectioners' sugar, sifted (240.0 g)
1.0 tspVanillaGoods pure vanilla extract (5.0 ml)
2.0 tbspwhole milk, as needed (30.0 ml)
0.125 tspfine sea salt

Method

1. Red Velvet Cake Layersfull recipe

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.

2. Cream Cheese Frostingfull recipe

Beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
On low speed, add the confectioners' sugar and salt, then the vanilla, and beat until combined.
Beat in the milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is soft and swirlable, then beat on medium-high for 1 minute until fluffy.
Spread or pipe onto the tops of completely cooled doughnuts.

3. Put it together

Bake the Red Velvet Cake Layers and cool the layers completely, at least 1 hour. Level the tops with a serrated knife if they domed.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting.
Spread a thin coat of frosting over the whole cake and chill 20 minutes, then frost with the rest.
Chill until the frosting is firm, then let the cake sit at room temperature 30 minutes before slicing.