Classic Red Velvet Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Classic Red Velvet Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 53 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 23 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the pans; 2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled, then sifted or whisked; 2 tbsp (10 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy; 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda; 1 tsp (6 g) fine salt; 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar; 1 cup (240 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola); 2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature, shaken well; 2 tbsp (30 ml) red liquid food coloring; 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract; 1 tsp (5 ml) distilled white vinegar; 16 oz (450 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (it should dent easily when pressed); 3½ cups (420 g) powdered sugar, sifted; 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tender, moist two-layer red velvet cake with a subtle cocoa tang from buttermilk and vinegar, covered in a tangy, fluffy cream cheese frosting. Oil in the batter keeps the crumb soft for days.

Prep: 53 min
Cook: 30 min
Wait: 1 hr 35 min
Total: 2 hr 58 min
Makes: 1 two-layer 9-inch (23 cm) cake (12 slices)

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the cake
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the pans
2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled, then sifted or whisked
2 tbsp (10 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
1 tsp (6 g) fine salt
1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (240 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature, shaken well
2 tbsp (30 ml) red liquid food coloring
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 tsp (5 ml) distilled white vinegar
For the cream cheese frosting
16 oz (450 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (it should dent easily when pressed)
3½ cups (420 g) powdered sugar, sifted
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine salt

Equipment (9)

Two 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pans, at least 2 inches (5 cm) deep
Parchment paper
Large mixing bowl and medium mixing bowl
Whisk and rubber spatula
Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
Wire cooling rack
Offset spatula
Serrated knife (for leveling the layers if domed)
Toothpick or cake tester

Steps

Before you start

Set out the eggs, buttermilk, cream cheese and frosting butter 1 hour ahead so everything is at room temperature (about 68–70°F / 20–21°C). Cold cream cheese makes lumpy frosting.
Use block-style cream cheese (not the spreadable tub kind), which holds the frosting's structure.
Position an oven rack in the center and preheat to 350°F (175°C) before you mix the batter.
Plan for about 3 hours in total: the layers must cool completely (about 75 minutes) before they are frosted.
Use natural unsweetened cocoa, not Dutch-process. Its acidity reacts with the baking soda and vinegar for a tender crumb.

1
Prepare the pansOven 350°F / 175°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease the bottom and sides of two 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pans with the softened butter.
- Trace the pan bottom onto parchment paper, cut out two circles, and press one into the bottom of each pan.
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Ready when: Pan sides are evenly coated and parchment lies flat with no air bubbles.
Tip: Don't skip the parchment. Red velvet layers are tender and can stick and tear when turned out.
2
Whisk the dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt for 30 seconds until the cocoa is evenly distributed and no streaks remain.
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Ready when: The mixture is a uniform pale brown-tan color.
3
Mix the wet ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and oil together for 1 minute.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time until combined.
- Add the buttermilk, red food coloring and 2 teaspoons vanilla, and whisk for about 1 minute until the mixture is a smooth, uniformly deep red with no streaks of white.
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Ready when: The liquid is a uniform, vivid red with no streaks.
Tip: Room-temperature eggs and buttermilk blend smoothly. Cold ones can make the oil separate.
4
Combine and add vinegar
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in 3 additions, whisking gently after each, just until the flour disappears.
- Stir the vinegar into the batter and mix for 10 seconds, until the batter is fluid and pourable and slightly thinner than brownie batter.
- Scrape the bowl bottom with a spatula to catch any pockets of flour.
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Ready when: The batter is smooth, glossy and has no dry flour streaks.
Tip: Stop mixing as soon as it's smooth. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough. Bake right away, because the baking soda starts reacting with the acid as soon as they meet.
5
Bake the layersOven 350°F / 175°C
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans (about 650 g each; use a kitchen scale for even layers).
- Tap each pan firmly on the counter 2 times to release large air bubbles.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 28–32 minutes, rotating the pans front to back at the 20-minute mark.
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Ready when: The tops spring back when lightly pressed, the edges just start to pull from the pan sides, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Tip: Don't open the oven door during the first 20 minutes, or the layers may sink.
6
Cool the layers
- Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
- Run a thin knife around the edges, invert each onto the rack, and peel off the parchment.
- Flip the layers right side up and cool completely, about 60 more minutes, until no warmth is felt when you touch the center of the bottom.
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Ready when: The cake bottoms feel completely room temperature to the touch.
Tip: Frosting a warm cake makes the frosting slide and melt. If short on time, chill the layers in the fridge for 20 minutes.
7
Beat the cream cheese and butter
- While the cakes cool, use a mixer on medium speed to beat the softened butter for 1 minute until creamy.
- Add the cream cheese and beat on medium for 1–2 minutes, scraping the bowl once, until completely smooth and fluffy with no lumps.
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Ready when: The mixture is smooth, pale and creamy with no visible lumps of cream cheese.
Tip: Don't overbeat once the sugar is added, because cream cheese frosting can turn runny.
8
Finish the frosting
- Turn the mixer to low and add the sifted powdered sugar a little at a time.
- Add 2 teaspoons vanilla and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Increase to medium and beat for 30–60 seconds, just until the frosting is fluffy and holds a soft peak.
- If it feels soft, chill it for 15 minutes before using.
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Ready when: The frosting is thick and spreadable and holds a soft peak when the beater is lifted.
9
Level, fill and crumb coat
- If the layers have domed, trim the tops flat with a serrated knife.
- Place one layer on a serving plate or cake board and spread about 1 cup (about 1 inch/2.5 cm thick) of frosting over it.
- Set the second layer on top, bottom side up for a flat top.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top and sides to trap crumbs, then refrigerate for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: The crumb coat feels firm and no longer tacky when touched.
Tip: Save the trimmed cake scraps for crumbs to decorate the top, if you like.
10
Frost and serve
- Cover the chilled cake with the remaining frosting, using an offset spatula to make smooth sides or soft swirls on top.
- Sprinkle the reserved cake crumbs over the top, if desired.
- For clean slices, use a long knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts.
- Serve at cool room temperature.
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Ready when: The cake is evenly coated with no red crumbs showing through.
Tip: For the best flavor and texture, let the chilled cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Good to know

Tips

Weigh the ingredients with a kitchen scale, especially the flour, for consistent results. Too much flour makes a dry cake.
Divide the batter by weight for evenly sized layers that bake at the same rate.
Cream cheese frosting is soft: if it becomes too loose, refrigerate it for 15–20 minutes and re-whisk by hand for a few seconds.
Chilling the crumb-coated cake makes the final frosting step much cleaner and easier.

Make ahead

"Bake the layers up to 2 days ahead: cool completely, wrap each tightly in plastic, and keep at room temperature (or freeze up to 2 months). Make the frosting up to 3 days ahead, refrigerate in an airtight container, then let it soften at room temperature for 30 minutes and re-whip briefly before using."

Storage & reheating

"Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let slices sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving for the best texture. The frosted cake can be left at room temperature for up to 2 hours. To freeze, chill the frosted cake until firm, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator."

Substitutions

buttermilk → 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it stand 5–10 minutes until slightly curdled before using.
red liquid food coloring → 1 tablespoon (15 g) red gel food coloring. Gel is more concentrated, so less is needed. Don't use more than this or the cake can taste bitter.
neutral oil (vegetable or canola) → 1 cup (226 g) melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter. Gives a buttery flavor, but the cake will be slightly less moist and firmer when chilled.
all-purpose flour → 2¾ cups (315 g) cake flour. Makes a finer, softer crumb. Bake time stays the same.