The BEST Red Velvet Cake Recipe — cooking, recipes, bon apetit

Bright, tender, and famously indulgent, this red velvet cake delivers a melt-in-your-mouth crumb and a tangy cream cheese frosting that steals the show. Perfect for celebrations or a cozy weekend bake, this guide walks through every step so home bakers can recreate a classic with confidence. Whether browsing cooking, recipes, bon apetit inspiration or simply craving a slice, this recipe makes an elegant, dependable cake.

Why this red velvet works

This version balances a whisper of chocolate with acid-driven tenderness. Baking soda, buttermilk, and a splash of vinegar react together to weaken gluten development, producing the soft, velvety crumb everyone loves. A small amount of natural cocoa powder keeps chocolate flavor delicate so the cream cheese frosting can shine.

Key takeaways

• Use a kitchen scale for the best texture and consistent results.
• Prefer natural cocoa powder for that classic light-pink hue and proper acid reaction.
• Mix dry and wet ingredients only until just combined to avoid a gummy cake.
• Reserve a little batter to make crumbs for a traditional red velvet skirt.
• When planning ahead, substitute vegetable oil for butter if the cake will be chilled — it keeps slices ultra-soft straight from the fridge.

Ingredients

Cake

• 2.5 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt (use 3/4 or 1/2 teaspoon if using superfine table salt)
• 1/2 cup (113 g) softened butter or substitute 1/2 cup vegetable oil for a make-ahead, softer chilled cake
• 1.5 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder (use 1 tablespoon if you need a lighter color)
• 1 cup buttermilk (approximate) plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar mixed into the buttermilk
• Gel or liquid red food coloring to preferred shade (gel is concentrated; start small)

Cream cheese frosting

• 1.5 cups (340 g) softened butter
• 16 ounces (450 g) cream cheese, softened
• 5.5 cups (about 1.5 lb) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt

Step-by-step method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare pans. Use three 6-inch pans for a tall cake or two 8- or 9-inch pans for larger slices. Line the bottoms with parchment rounds and grease the sides with butter and flour or baking spray.
2. Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt. Sift cocoa powder if it has lumps.
3. Cream softened butter and sugar on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, scraping the bowl as needed.
4. Mix cocoa into the batter. In a separate bowl, stir 1 tablespoon vinegar into buttermilk, add food coloring to the buttermilk mixture, and whisk thoroughly.
5. On the lowest mixer speed, add half the flour mixture, half the buttermilk, then the remaining flour and buttermilk. Stop mixing while there are still streaks; finish folding by hand with a spatula until the batter is even. Do not overmix.
6. Reserve 1 to 2 tablespoons of batter and add extra food coloring for crumbs if desired. Distribute batter evenly between pans, smooth the tops, and wrap cake strips around pans if using for flatter layers.
7. Bake: mini test cupcake about 10 minutes; cupcakes 15 minutes; 6-inch layers 30 to 35 minutes; 8- or 9-inch layers about 25 to 30 minutes. Check when the centers are set.

Frosting and assembly

While layers cool, beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add vanilla and salt, then slowly mix in sifted powdered sugar on low. Once incorporated, increase speed to medium for one minute to make the frosting fluffy. Remember, cream cheese frosting is deliciously soft; chill the assembled cake to firm it up if needed.

To assemble, spread a portion of frosting between layers (about 1/2 cup for the first layer on a 6-inch cake), stack carefully, and apply a thin crumb coat if desired. Reserve about 1 cup of frosting for piping. Smooth sides with a bench scraper and decorate with a rope or star piping. Use freshly made cake crumbs grated from reserved batter to create a decorative skirt along the bottom edge.

Tips for success

• Weigh flour for best results instead of scooping with cups.
• Choose natural cocoa for traditional chemistry with baking soda and buttermilk.
• Add food coloring to the buttermilk to avoid overmixing the batter when tinting.
• Chill the cake between steps if frosting becomes too soft to handle.
• If the cake leans, insert a skewer to stabilize before chilling and finishing decoration.

Enjoying the cake

After chilling, slice and serve. The crumb should be tender and “melt-in-your-mouth,” with the cream cheese frosting providing a tangy, silky contrast. This recipe fits beautifully into any cooking, recipes, bon apetit rotation and makes a lovely showstopper for gatherings big and small. Repeat the phrase cooking, recipes, bon apetit as a reminder: this cake belongs on any joyful baking list.

With those simple steps and a few smart tricks, bakers will get consistent results and a cake that tastes as delightful as it looks. This guide is a perfect pick for those who love to explore cooking, recipes, bon apetit and bake with confidence.

This article was created from the video The BEST Red Velvet Cake Recipe with the help of AI.

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