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How to make the best red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Homemade Red Velvet Cake is soft, tender, and fluffy with the creamiest and most decadent cream cheese frosting. It is no wonder that it is one of the most popular cake recipes and this is the perfect recipe.
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4.90 from 29 votes

Red Velvet Cake

The perfect red velvet cake recipe with sweet cream cheese frosting
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 16
Author: Melissa Stadler, Modern Honey

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Cake Flour (or all-purpose flour)
  • 1 3/4 cups Sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 cup Butter cut into cubes
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 cup Buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup Canola Oil
  • 1 - 2 Tablespoons Red Food Coloring may do less depending on preference
  • 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • (2) 8-ounce pkgs. Cream Cheese (room temperature and softened)
  • 12 Tablespoons Butter (3/4 cup or 1 1/2 sticks, softened)
  • 4 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a standing mixer, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Beat the butter into the flour mixture, one cube at a time. Continue to beat until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil, red food coloring, and vanilla.
  • Add the buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and beat the batter until thoroughly mixed.
  • Take a spatula and scrape the sides of the bowl.
  • Spread into two greased 8 or 9-inch cake pans and smooth tops with a spatula.
  • Bake for 16-22 minutes, depending on the depth of pans. If the cake layers are thin, they will cook for less time than the thicker layers.
  • Let cakes cool. Run a knife around edge of cake pan and flip over. Frost with cream cheese frosting.
  • To make frosting:
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. If using a Kitchenaid mixer, use the whisk attachment.
  • Add powdered sugar and mix until creamy.
  • If using a vanilla bean, split vanilla bean in half and use the tip of the knife to scrape the vanilla bean paste from each side of the vanilla bean pod.
  • If using vanilla extract, add to frosting and stir until combined.
  • Spread on cooled red velvet cake. Cover tightly.

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