Red Velvet Cake

5 from 1 vote

With the classic red color and a subtle hint of chocolate, this red velvet cake is easy to make and really, really delicious!

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Chill Time45

Total Time2 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Brittany Angell

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 ⅓ cups 276 grams mild-flavored oil (avocado oil, melted coconut oil, or any other mild oil that you typically bake with)
2 cups 430 grams organic cane sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups 360 grams all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups 280 grams buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1 ounce red food coloring

For the Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 ½ blocks 12 ounces cream cheese
1 stick 8 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
1-3 tablespoons heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk optional

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray two 8-inch nonstick cake pans with oil.
To the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl, if using a hand mixer), add the oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla, and beat on high for 1 minute.
To the same bowl, add in the buttermilk, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, flour, and red food coloring, and beat on low for 15 seconds. Then, gradually increase the speed until you are beating on high and the batter is completely smooth.
Divide the batter evenly and pour into the two prepared cake pans.
Place both filled cake pans on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 28-32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean.
Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely before removing them from the pans.
While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting: in a large bowl (if using a hand mixer) or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla, and beat on high until smooth. Then, add in the powdered sugar 2 cups at a time, beating with each addition. If desired, add 1-3 tablespoons of heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk to lighten up the frosting and make it fluffy.
Once the cakes have cooled completely, remove them from the pan and trim them to be level (removing any rounded tops that developed in the oven). Place a thin layer of frosting (a crumb coat) on the bottom layer of the cake and place it in the fridge for 15-30 minutes. Once chilled and the frosting has firmed up a bit, add a thicker layer of frosting and then place the second layer of cake on top. Place a thin crumb coat layer of frosting on the top layer and sides, and chill in the fridge for another 15-30 minutes. Once chilled, spread the remaining frosting evenly on the tops and sides.
If saving for later, either store covered in the fridge for 3-4 days or at room temperature if your kitchen is not too warm.

Notes

Instead of using traditional 8-inch cake pans, try using two springform pans instead. This will guarantee that your cake will never stick to the pan.
To make this cake dairy-free, use 1 ¼ cups (280 grams) of full-fat coconut milk + 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. For an extra moist cake use the blue Good & Gather unsweetened coconut milk.
If you would like to add a fun little flair to your cake, use ½ of a cup of cold, strong coffee. If you do this, you will only need ¾ cup of buttermilk (or its dairy-free sub).
If you want a bright red color, use traditional unsweetened cocoa powder. If you want a darker, deeper red, opt for dark unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Hershey’s Special Dark).
Use the gram measurements (vs. cup measurements) for guaranteed results.

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