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Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Isabella

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is moist, tender, and beautifully vibrant, with a subtle cocoa flavor and a luxuriously smooth, tangy frosting. Perfect for celebrations or cozy baking days, it delivers bakery-quality results with simple, reliable steps.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Red Velvet Cake
  • 3 cups cake flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder natural
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
  • 4 large eggs separated, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
  • 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • red food coloring gel or liquid, to desired color
Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 16 ounces cream cheese full-fat, softened
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • salt pinch, to taste

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add oil, egg yolks, vanilla, and vinegar, and beat until well combined.
  4. On low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mixture until just combined. Mix in red food coloring to desired shade.
  5. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold into the batter.
  6. Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for 30–32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
  7. Cool cakes completely on wire racks before frosting.
  8. For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt, and beat until light and creamy.
  9. Level cakes if needed. Frost between layers, then cover the top and sides with remaining frosting. Chill briefly before slicing.

Notes

Measure flour accurately to avoid a dense cake. Always frost completely cooled layers to prevent melting. Gel food coloring provides vibrant color without thinning the batter.