Red Velvet Cake is a moist and easy cake made from scratch and topped off with a cream cheese frosting.

It has a hint of a chocolate flavor in it but has a soft, moist buttery texture that melts in your mouth.

Yes, I was one of them that was intimidated by a red velvet cake.

It seems as if it was hard to make one, much less to make 2 layers of cake that taste like what you order from your favorite restaurant.

But to my surprise, it wasn’t so hard to make.

In fact, super easy… trust me.

For this one, I made it for my Son’s Birthday party and he loved it.

Something different from the store bought cakes we usually have.

What is Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake is a mild chocolate cake that is moist, light and buttery with velvety crumb and a little acidity to it.

It has a classic red, red brown or crimson red color food coloring.

Let’s say it is a combination of a classic vanilla cake and a chocolate cake with somewhat of a slight tang from the buttermilk covered with a cream cheese frosting.

What does Red Velvet Cake taste like?

This homemade red velvet cake has an acidic taste that comes from the vinegar and buttermilk.

As a result, it has a hint of chocolate that you may taste or not with a beautiful cream cheese frosting.

Is Red Velvet Cake Chocolate Cake?

Oh no it isn’t.

Even though 2 Tablespoon of cocoa powder is added to the red velvet batter, it is not considered to be a chocolate cake at all.

What if I don’t have any Buttermilk to make the Red Velvet Cake?

Buttermilk is what makes the cake moist.

It has a thick creamy texture with a buttery and tangy taste.

However, if you don’t have any on hand, then you can make your very own homemade buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk.

Also, allow it to sit for about 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature before adding it to the batter.

How to make Red Velvet Cake

Firstly, sift the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Whisk together and set aside.

Secondly, beat the butter and granulated sugar together. Add the eggs, oil and vanilla extract.

Thirdly, make the homemade buttermilk by adding the vinegar or lemon juice to the milk. Add it to the mixture and mix together.

Fourthly, add the red food coloring to the mixture and mix until it is fully incorporated.

Finally, add the dry ingredients to the mixture on low speed until fully combined. Pour into the prepared baking pans and bake.

How to make the Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl.

Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix well.

Then add one cup of the powdered sugar at a time.

Finally, mix it all together with the hand mixer.

Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 Tablespoon Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
• 2 large Eggs
• 2 to 3 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 cup Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon White Distilled Vinegar
• Red Gel Food Coloring

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 full fat (8oz) Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
• 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• a pinch to 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 4 cups Powdered Sugar

Instructions

Making the Red Velvet Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two 9 inch baking pan with butter and then line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside for later.
2. In a medium bowl, sift the all purpose flour, baking soda, salt and unsweetened cocoa powder. Then whisk together until fully incorporated. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar and cream together for a few minutes until it is fully combined.
4. Add the eggs, oil, vanilla extract and mix together.
5. To make the homemade buttermilk, add the vinegar to the milk and stir. Then add it to the mixture until fully incorporated.
6. Add the red food coloring and gently fold it in. On low speed, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until fully combined.
7. Divide the batter into the two prepared 9 inch baking pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted in the middle and it comes out clean.
8. Allow the cakes to cool in the baking pan for about 15 to 20 minutes and then invert them onto a wire cooling rack to finish cooling before assembling them for the finish look. I wrapped the two cakes in plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator overnight. When it is refrigerated, it is much easier to apply the frosting. When it is just room temperature, it will have too much crumbs getting into the frosting. Plus, I made the cream cheese frosting the next day and assemble the cake all together.

Making the Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until there are no clumps. Mix in the vanilla extract and salt.
2. Add one cup of the powdered sugar at a time. If by any chance the frosting is too watery, add more powdered sugar.

How to Assemble Red Velvet Cake

1. Look at each cake and see if it needs to level off. If it needs to be leveled off, use a knife to cut off the necessary pieces.
2. Put one of the cake on a cake stand. Use about 1/2 cup or less of the frosting on the top of that cake and smooth out it to one layer evenly.
3. Place the other cake on the top of the other cake. Do a thin layer of the frosting over the entire cake and allow to chill for at least 1 hour.
4. After it has been chilled, use the remaining frosting to cover the top of the cake and the sides also. Remember to smooth it out in one layer.

Notes:

1. The ingredients that are taken from the refrigerator should be at room temperature before starting to bake.
2. Make sure all of your dry ingredients are sifted to remove any lumps. This helps to make a light cake.
3. Cream the butter and sugar for about 4 to 5 minutes. This will incorporate more air in it and makes the cake lighter and softer.
4. Once the cakes is cooled, wrap them both with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator. This makes the frosting part much easier.

Additional Red Velvet Recipes

• Red Velvet Molten Lava Cake
• Red Velvet Cookies

Please let me know what you think of this Red Velvet Cake when you give it a try, in the comment section below.

Thanks for stopping by and please come back again.

Blessings and Love, as you carry on, on your YouNique Journey!