Print

The Best Southern Red Velvet Cake from Scratch

A tall, moist slice of red velvet cake with three layers of deep red cake separated by thick white cream cheese frosting.
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Make a perfectly moist and soft Southern Red Velvet Cake from scratch. This recipe delivers a tender crumb and a vibrant red color, topped with classic cream cheese frosting for a showstopping dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon red food coloring (liquid or gel)
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil and granulated sugar until combined.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract and red food coloring until the mixture is uniformly red.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
  5. In a small bowl, mix the buttermilk and white vinegar together; let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle slightly.
  6. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. In a small cup, dissolve the baking soda in 1 teaspoon of water, then quickly stir this into the batter.
  8. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
  9. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  10. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. To make the cream cheese frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
  12. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until the frosting is light and fluffy.
  13. Once the cakes are completely cool, frost and stack the layers.

Notes

  • For the most vibrant red color, use a high-quality gel food coloring instead of liquid coloring.
  • Ensure your buttermilk and eggs are at room temperature for better batter emulsification.
  • True Southern red velvet cake gets its slight tang from the combination of buttermilk and vinegar reacting with the baking soda.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbyfelix.com/best-southern-red-velvet-cake-from-scratch/