Red Velvet Cake Cream Cheese (Printer-friendly)

Classic red velvet layered cake with tangy cream cheese frosting and a hint of cocoa flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Red Velvet Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1 teaspoon fine salt
05 - 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
06 - 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
07 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 2 tablespoons red food coloring
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

12 - 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
14 - 4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
15 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder until evenly combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, blend vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, red food coloring, vanilla extract, and white distilled vinegar until smooth.
04 - Gradually add wet ingredients to dry mixture, folding gently with a spatula until just combined and smooth with no lumps.
05 - Evenly distribute batter between prepared pans, smoothing tops.
06 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Beat cream cheese and unsalted butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
09 - Gradually beat in confectioners sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until light and fluffy.
10 - Place one cake layer on a serving platter, spread with one-third of the frosting. Top with second layer, then frost top and sides with remaining frosting.
11 - Refrigerate assembled cake for 30 minutes to set frosting and ensure clean slices.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly moist and tender—nobody expects how light it actually is despite all that oil.
  • That tangy cream cheese frosting cuts through the sweetness in a way that makes people keep coming back for another slice.
  • It looks stunning without any fancy decorating skills, which means you get all the compliments for minimal effort.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients—eggs, buttermilk, cream cheese, butter—mix together smoothly and evenly in a way cold ingredients simply cannot, which changes the whole texture of both cake and frosting.
  • Don't skip the ten minutes of cooling in the pan; this is what keeps the cake from breaking apart when you turn it out, and it costs you almost nothing.
  • Confectioners sugar absolutely must be sifted before adding to frosting, or you'll have a grainy texture that feels off no matter how long you beat it.
03 -
  • A bench scraper or offset spatula dipped in warm water smooths frosting like magic—the warmth helps it glide without dragging or creating crumbs.
  • Freeze the frosted cake for 15 minutes before serving if you're impatient; this firms up the frosting enough for picture-perfect slices.

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