BEST Southern Red Velvet Cake Recipe
“Easy, moist red velvet cake recipe full of Southern charm with a secret ingredient! Frosted with Cream Cheese frosting!”
Watch me make this Easy, Moist Red Velvet Cake from start to finish!
There is something so elegant about a red velvet cake. Maybe it’s the name or that beautiful, bold red color. Or maybe it’s the delicate crumb and light chocolatey flavor with a tad bit of tang from the buttermilk.
Whatever it is, I’m totally present for all things RED VELVET!!! Red Velvet Pound Cake anyone??
I’ve been getting a lot of requests for red velvet cake. Being from the south my recipe options were endless. I swear everybody in my family has their way of making red velvet cake and to them, it is the best!!
Hooooowever, I still knew that the perfect red velvet cake was still out there somewhere.
I have been on the search for the best homemade red velvet cake recipe for a while now actually. I wanted one that was easy, Â super moist, melt-in-your-mouth soft with that signature light chocolatey buttermilk red velvet flavor.
I’ve tried a few recipes that were…OK. Â Nothing that really blew my heels off though. Until I played around with merging three recipes (God I love chemistry when it cooperates) and out came THE MASTERPIECE!!! Or at least we think so in my house!
What is red velvet cake?
Before we talk about what red velvet cake is, it’s important to establish what it’s NOT! Red velvet cake is not just a chocolate cake with red food coloring. Traditional red velvet cake started as a buttermilk chocolate cake that is has a signature reddish hue from the cocoa powder. The modern take on classic red velvet cake uses red food coloring to enhance the natural redness of this cake and turn it into bold red color.
What does red velvet cake taste like?
Red velvet cake tastes like a light chocolate cake with vanilla buttermilk notes. It’s a signature flavor that is well-loved in the south. Velvet cakes have a tender crumb and always consist of buttermilk and distilled vinegar. Check out this lemon velvet cake below for a different spin!
This red velvet cake recipe is SUPERB!!!! And it passes the stick to the back of the fork test like a champ!
Adding a bit of coffee to the batter isn’t “traditional” for red velvet cakes but it adds another layer of flavor and really hypes up the chocolatey taste to perfection. Not to mention the extra liquid makes this cake do doggone soft so don’t skip it!
Even if you have to run to Mickey D’s or the gas station to get a cup of coffee! I prefer flavored coffee. When I make this cake for people I always use vanilla biscotti or chocolate-flavored coffee. But plain will do just fine too.
Oh and don’t worry, you can’t taste the coffee.
Want cupcakes? Check out these red velvet cupcakes!
How To Make The BEST Red Velvet Cake
- Be sure to generously grease your pans (with shortening) and give them a light dusting of flour. This will ensure that the cake doesn’t stick to the pan.
- Use plain prepared coffee. Yep just brew up a cup of coffee. No need to add sugar or cream. I normally use a light or medium roast Alternatively, you can use hot water but…coffee is so much better.
Helpful Red Velvet Cake Supplies
What Cream Cheese Frosting should I use?
Originally I used THIS cream cheese frosting! It’s light, airy, simple, and delicious!
But then I switched to THIS cream cheese frosting and it’s my new favorite!
I love a tangy frosting so it’s packed with cream cheese and much thicker in texture. However, if you beat it like crazy it does fluff up quite nicely. If you aren’t a fan of this bold cream cheese-flavored frosting then go with the first recipe.
I hope that you guys enjoy this red velvet cake as much as I do. Lord knows I didn’t want to make this cake AGAIN this week…but I have to give my readers what they demand…..and now I have all this cake…. that I have to eat all by myself…..*sigh* oh well….life is tough like that sometimes. : )
Watch me make this Best Red Velvet Cake Recipe from start to finish!
Get the Recipe: The BEST Red Velvet Cake Recipe. Easy. Moist. Homemade
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened, cocoa powder
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil or canola
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-2 oz. red food coloring, more or less depending on how deep you want the color
- 1/2 cup plain hot coffee, prepared (don't skip this ingredient)
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F.
- Generously grease and flour (2) 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar and vegetable oil.
- Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and red food coloring until combined.
- Stir in the coffee and white vinegar.
- Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients a little at a time, mixing after each addition, just until combined. (Batter will be thin)
- Pour the batter evenly into each pan.
- Bake in the middle rack for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it. Do not overbake as the cake will continue to cook as it cools.
- Let pans cool on a cooling rack until the pans are warm to the touch.
- Slide a knife or offset spatula around the inside of the pans to loosen the cake from the pan.
- Gently remove the cakes from the pan and let them finish cooling. (The warm cake will be very delicate)
- Frost the cake with cream cheese frosting when the cakes have cooled completely.
Video
Notes
Be sure to not overbake! Check the cake at 30 minutes as some ovens run really hot.
The cakes are really moist and delicate. You may need to refrigerate them to firm them up before stacking and frosting.
To bake cupcakes, bake for 18-20 minutes, checking at the 18-minute mark.
I’ve always coined the term that Red Velvet cake was a “moody” cake because I could never get a consistent texture whenever I baked one. I used countless recipes because it is a favorite for my family. They would always turn out too dry or not flavorful enough. So when I tried this recipe to my DELIGHT it is just as it’s title suggests “The BEST Red Velvet Cake Ever!! I love the perfect MOIST consistency! The depth of flavor it gives and I think it’s the coffee 🙂 It is delisious and my family, friends and co-workers just rave over this recipe whenever I make it! Thank you Divas Can Cook! I love this site and whenever I’m looking for a cake recipe that I know will be great I always stop by this site! Thanks again!
let me first put this in my mother tongue
maihwe keke iri rainaka
this is by far the best red velvet cake i have ever made thanks a million
If you dont mind me asking…what language is this?
For anyone wondering, you can ABSOLUTELY taste the coffee! First I smelled it in the batter, I figured maybe the odor would bake out. I tasted it before it went into the oven and I could tell it was there. It came out of the oven and the first bite that went into my mouth I tasted coffee :/ This is a great addition for a deeply chocolate cake, but that wasn’t what I was going for with red velvet. I did not use espresso or any other strong coffee, just regular brewed coffee.
You probably mixed the coffee too strong
Hi, I’m Brazilian and I gonna do this recipe. I found this website today and really like, but I hate coffe, Can I do the recipe without coffe or put other ingredient?
Thanks a lot! =)
I tried to delete this comment and amend it but I couldn’t! Yes, the coffee smell and flavor was evident during the preparation and when it came out of the oven and was hot BUTTTTTTT it went away and gave a depth of flavor to the red velvet that is unparalleled to anything else I’ve tried. And I’ve literally made every.single.red.velvet. recipe on the internet and in all the cookbooks I own. Hands down the BEST and I’ve already made it 3 times! I’ve played with the strength of the coffee and have found the best flavor with a deeper roast. My tips are take it easy on the cocoa powder so you don’t get too strong of a chocolate taste, because the coffee will bring that out too. Also, I swap out 1/4 a cup of the flour for corn starch to mimic cake flour and the texture is phenomenal. My oven takes exactly 35 minutes and I have to line my pans with parchment paper and grease them well so the cake doesn’t stick. I frost and put it in the fridge and the next day I serve it and its a million times better!
What kind of coffee did you use?
I used a cup of instant coffe I always felt instant was not as strong as brewed my son loves this recipe
Great recipe! I am new to your page but was in the market for a good red velvet cake/cupcake recipe for Easter and came across your site. I know you recommended a different recipe for cupcakes but I like mine super moist so I went with this one. My family LOVED these cupcakes and as a Georgia girl my family is full of tough critics (lol)! So kudos to you and keep doing your thing girl :). I’ll be trying other recipes in the future.
I substituted the flour with trader joes gluten free flour and it was sooooo good. So good in fact that I ate most of it before even making the frosting. I guess i’ll have to bake another one.
Can we use gel food coloring?
Also, does it matter if we substitute the buttermilk?
I’m planning an attempt at making my older sister’s cake so this really would help! 🙂