Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Last Updated on February 11, 2026 by Barbara

If the soul food table had a royal family, Red Velvet Cake would be wearing a crown. This deep crimson beauty became the star of the show in the 1950s and 60s, quickly becoming a popular request for weddings and the most important family events. But what makes it a true staple isn’t just that striking color, it’s the perfect marriage of tangy buttermilk, cocoa powder, red food coloring, and that unmistakable ‘zesty’ frosting. Today, I will take you back to basics and show you how to bake a cake that’s just as legendary as the ones from Grandma’s kitchen.

How to Make Red Velvet Cake

Watch Me Make a Red Velvet Cake (Video Tutorial)

Step 1: Ingredients

Ingredients for Red Velvet Cake:

For the Cake: Cake Flour, Sugar, Butter, Cocoa Powder, Buttermilk, Eggs, Vanilla Extract, Vinegar, Baking Soda, Red Food Coloring, and Salt.

Ingredients for Icing:

For the Cream Cheese Icing: Confectioners’ Sugar, Heavy Whipping Cream, Cream Cheese, Mascarpone Cheese, and Vanilla Extract.

Step 2: Sift the Dry Ingredients

In a bowl sift the salt, cocoa and flour.

Step 3: Mix Ingredients

• In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well combined. Next add the vanilla and buttermilk. Slowly add in the flour mixture.

Step 3: Add the Vinegar and Baking Soda

Carefully add the red food coloring. Add the vinegar to the baking soda and allow it to react then quickly fold it into your batter. Divide the batter between two ten inch pans and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center come out clean.

Step 4: Bake Your Red Velvet Cake

Remove the cakes from the oven then place on a wire rack to cool.

Step 5: Make the Cream Cheese Icing

• To make the icing, sift the confectioner sugar then set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream the cream cheese until smooth. Add the Mascarpone cheese and cream until smooth. Add the vanilla then slowly add the confectioners’ sugar until well combined. Turn off mixer then add half of the heavy whipping cream. Turn mixer on slowly increasing the speed. Slowly add the rest of the whipping cream. Mix on medium high speed until the icing just thicken. Be careful not to over mix.

Step 6: Slice the Red Velvet Cake and Apply Icing

Ice the cakes as desired.

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Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Red velvet cake is a classic soul food dessert. A moist cake topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting. Perfect on any dessert table.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Soul Food, Southern

Calories: 620

Ingredients Method Nutrition Video

Ingredients

  

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• 2-1/2 cups Cake Flour
• 1-1/2 cups Sugar
• ½ cup Butter
• 2 tbsps Cocoa Powder
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 2 Eggs
• 1-1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Vinegar
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 bottle Red Food Coloring
• ½ tsp Salt
• Cream Cheese Icing:
• 1 cup 1 Cup Confectioners’ Sugar
• 1 cup 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2 8 oz 2 8 oz Cream Cheese
• 2 8 oz 2 8 oz Mascarpone Cheese
• 2 tsps 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Method

 

1. PreHeat Oven 350 degrees
2. In a bowl sift the salt, cocoa and flour then set it aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
4. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well combined.
5. Next add the vanilla and buttermilk.
6. Now slowly add in the flour mixture.
7. Carefully add the red food coloring.
8. Add the vinegar to the baking soda and allow it to react then quickly fold it into your batter. Divide the batter between two ten inch pans and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center come out clean.
9. Remove the cakes from the oven then place on a wire rack to cool.
10. After about 5 minutes remove cake from pans and place on wire rack to continue to cool.
11. To make the icing, sift the confectioner sugar then set aside.
12. In a mixing bowl, cream the cream cheese until smooth.
13. Now add the Mascarpone cheese and cream until smooth.
14. Add the vanilla then slowly add the confectioners’ sugar until well combined.
15. Turn off mixture then add half of the heavy whipping cream.
16. Turn mixture on slowly increasing the speed.
17. Now slowly add the rest of the whipping cream.
18. Mix on medium high speed until the icing just thicken.
19. Be careful not to over mix.
20. Ice the cakes as desired

Nutrition

Serving: 8gCalories: 620kcal

Video

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