This impressive red velvet cake is an absolute show-stopper. Made from two cakes sandwiched together with cream cheese frosting then decorated with your favourite red candy. Perfect for any celebration.
If you've ever tried a Red Velvet Cake or cupcake, you'll know just how delicious this recipe is. The secret to a good red velvet cake is buttermilk. However, most people (myself included) don't often have this in the fridge. So I've swapped regular buttermilk for milk and vinegar which ends up creating the same reaction in the cake batter.
For another epic, American-style cake recipe, be sure to check out the Banana Caramel Poke Cake on the website.
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Ingredient notes:
- Red food colouring: Gives the cake its beautiful red colour and name. If you prefer not to use food colouring you could leave it out. It will still taste great however it will end up looking like a chocolate cake, not a red velvet cake.
- Black coffee: You can't really taste the coffee in the cake, however, it adds great flavour and richness. Make sure you don't add ½ cup espresso as it will be overpowering and you'll definitely get a coffee flavour cake!
- Vinegar and milk: This is our substitute for buttermilk. If (like me) you don't keep buttermilk in the fridge, this is a cheap and handy alternative. A great substitute for the buttermilk traditionally found in a red velvet cake.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake. Line 2 x 22 cm diameter cake tins with baking paper. In a mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together, then add the oil and mix to combine.
Add the eggs and vinegar, mix well. Add the rest of the wet ingredients, milk, coffee and red food colouring, mix until smooth and velvety.
Sift in the remaining dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
Pour half of the mixture into each cake tin then place on two racks in the centre of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes then swap the cake tins around so they bake evenly. Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Cool cakes on a rack and then place into the fridge to firm up for at least 20 minutes.
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth. Add the cream cheese and vanilla, beat again until smooth. Sift in half the icing sugar and mix for a minute scraping down the sides.
Sift in the rest of the icing sugar and salt, beat for another 3-5 minutes until the icing is pale and fluffy. Scraping down the bowl half way through.
Place one cake onto a serving plate. Add a layer of icing about 1cm thick to the top, then place the second cake on top. Thinly ice the whole layered cake all over using a pallet knife to create a thin 'crumb coat'.
Refrigerate for 10 minutes until the icing is firmly set. Add the remaining icing to the top and sides, smoothing it out nicely. Store in the fridge to allow the icing to firm up before slicing with a sharp knife to serve.
Recipe FAQs:
It's a thin coat of icing on a cake to catch all the loose cake crumbs so when you ice the second layer your icing looks perfect and has no wee bits in it ruining the look. It doesn't change the taste or texture of the cake so feel free to skip this step if you are in a rush.
To prevent dryness, make sure not to over bake the cake layers. They should be moist and spring back lightly when touched. Additionally, storing the cake properly in the refrigerator and wrapping it tightly will help retain moisture.
There are many theories about the origin of this delicious cake but none of them have concrete evidence. What is generally agreed upon is that this recipe originates from America and potentially the Southern states.
Storage:
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Top tips:
Make sure you give the cake plenty of time to set in the fridge before slicing so that the icing sets well.
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Red Velvet Cake
An impressive looking, super tasty, moist red velvet cake filled with cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- 100g butter, softened
- 1 ¾ cups white sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla essence
- 1 cup oil
- 3 eggs
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 cup milk (room temp)
- ½ cup black coffee
- 1 - 2 tsp red food colouring
- 2 ½ cups plain flour
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
Cream cheese Icing:
- 120g butter, softened
- 250g cream cheese (room temp)
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 3 cups icing sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Cakes: Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake. Line 2 x 22 cm diameter cake tins with baking paper.
- In a mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together, then add the oil and mix to combine.
- Add the eggs and vinegar, mix well. Mix the boiling water and instant coffee then add to the mixer with the rest of the wet ingredients, including the milk and red food colouring. Mix until smooth and velvety.
- Sift in the remaining dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
- Pour half of the mixture into each cake tin then place on two racks in the centre of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes then swap the cake tins around so they bake evenly. Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
- Cool cakes on a rack and then place into the fridge to firm up for at least 20 minutes.
- Icing: In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth.
- Add the cream cheese and vanilla, beat again until smooth. Sift in half the icing sugar and mix for a minute scraping down the sides.
- Sift in the rest of the icing sugar and salt, beat for another 3-5 minutes until the icing is pale and fluffy. Scraping down the bowl half way through.
- Assemble: Place one cake onto a serving plate. Add a layer of icing about 1cm thick to the top, then place the second cake on top. Thinly ice the whole layered cake all over using a pallet knife to create a thin ‘crumb coat’.
- Refrigerate for 10 minutes until the icing is firmly set. Add the remaining icing to the top and sides, smoothing it out nicely. Store in the fridge to allow the icing to firm up before slicing with a sharp knife to serve.
Notes
- Chill before cutting so the icing can set well.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 720Total Fat: 43gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 600mgCarbohydrates: 80gFiber: 1gSugar: 58gProtein: 7g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
Nicky Calder says
Where did you get the decorations??
Vanya Insull says
Hi! Just from a local kitchen retailer Chef's Complements. They sell online too!
Sara Davis says
What do you take out if you have buttermilk in fridge.... just milk or both vinger and milk
VJ cooks says
Yes I would remove the milk and buttermilk 🙂
Monique says
Made a 4 layer of this for my Mums birthday, absolutely delicious cake!! It was the first time I had ever made a red velvet and it was a hit by everyone thank you for your recipe
Jennifer says
Hi! Can we substitute the coffee with something else? Not coffee drinkers in our household, so don't have coffee on hand, and doesn't make sense to buy it, if we're not using it regularly.
VJ cooks says
Hi Jennifer, you can leave the coffee out and just add half a cup of water. It won't taste as rich as a traditional as a red velvet cake but it will still work.
B says
Can I substitute the milk with plain yoghurt.? As it's all I have at the house currently (we live rural), Will this effect the rest of recipe much.?
VJ cooks says
Oh I haven't tried it with yoghurt sorry. Let me know how you get on.
Shona says
Hi there, what oil do you recommend?
VJ cooks says
I would recommend a neutral oil like canola or sunflower oil. Whatever the oil tastes like in its raw state is what it will taste like in the cake. Therefore something with a strong flavour like extra virgin olive oil will alter the taste of the cake.
Trina says
Hi, I don’t have 2 matching cake tins. Will I have to adjust cooking time to cook in 1 big tin? And then slice cake in half at the end. Do you think this will work just as well?
VJ cooks says
The trouble with cooking one big cake is that it often cooks quicker on the outside. The middle will take much longer to cook when it's more dense.
Lisa says
Hi, do you think this would work ok in 20cm tins? Thanks
VJ cooks says
Yes that should work. The cake will be denser so it will take longer to cook. Leave it in until a skewer comes out clean.
Melissa says
Hi. Can we put the mixture into muffin tins for cupcakes? Thanks
VJ cooks says
Yes fo course. Just be sure to reduce the cooking time.