I think the main reason I love it, is the color.
I really love red.
Is that a shock?
I didn’t think so.
I do really love the wonderful taste of red velvet, but I like to taste the cocoa, it can’t be hiding.
Don’t even get me going on cream cheese.
Really, Cream…good!
Cheese…good!
Now I sound like Joey from Friends. Custard good, jam good, beef good! It still cracks me up! Here is the link if you need a laugh, I had to watch it again.
I do have something to share about cream cheese, I hope I don’t forget.
First I wanted to share with you the recipe I used. After looking at multiple Red Velvet Cake Recipes, I could not find one that screamed it was the one, so I combined ideas from each and made this.
I added way more cocoa than the other had after I tested the batter I knew it wasn’t quite right. I stopped when the batter tasted GREAT, and it worked this cake tastes moist and delicious. I will be making this one over and over again. It really is the best red velvet cake I’ve had.
Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Printable Red Velvet Cake Recipe
4 Tablespoons Dutch Cocoa
3 large eggs (room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk (I use dry buttermilk)
2 Tablespoons Americolor super-red coloring
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
In a stand mixer beat butter, add sugar and cream together until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in after each addition. Scrape sides add vanilla and mix until incorporated.
Mix flour cocoa and salt together, in a separate bowl mix buttermilk with food coloring. Then add buttermilk mixture along alternating with flour mixture to butter and sugar. Alternating in three additions. Begin and end with flour mixture. Mix vinegar and baking soda let it fizz then add to batter bowl and blend in.
Separate batter into cake pans that have been greased and floured. Any size, just adjust your baking time accordingly.
Bake at 350 unless using darker pans then bake at 325.
The cakes I made were 4×2 3×2 and 2×2. the smaller sized baked for 18 minutes and the 4×2 baked for just over 30 minutes. Test your cake to be sure you do not overbake it. It will them taste dry.
about Buttermilk
This is the dry buttermilk I’ve been using for years. It’s great.
No need to purchase buttermilk for a specific recipe. I always have it on hand. It makes pasta sauces creamy as well.
Eggs
room temperature eggs incorporate more evenly into the batter and create a less dry cake. Place eggs in a glass or bowl with warm water for a few minutes. When you hold an egg and gently shake it you can feel if it’s still cold inside. This method is great if you forget to take them out early. Which ALWAYS happens to me, I am not a good planner.
Cream Cheese
I love Cream Cheese Frosting!
I would use 1/2 cup cream cheese with 1/2 cup butter. Mixed with 4 cups powdered sugar and three tablespoons milk. (You can double this if you are filling the cake as well)
Printable Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
I used cream cheese frosting on some other items I baked this day too, so on my cake, the sides were first coated with cream cheese frosting ( I then ran out 🙁 so I gave the second coat of the sides of the cake with buttercream frosting and the rose is made with the cream cheese frosting. I would have preferred cream cheese frosting on all of it, but there goes that good planning gene I don’t have. I should have chilled the cakes and waited patiently, but didn’t. I think they would have iced smoother.
Here is a video on How to frost a rose.
If you like this or any other recipe at 
Stephanie L. Brooks says
Hi there! I was just wondering approximately how many people this recipe serves. Thanks! Can’t wait to try this recipe out for Valentine’s Day!!!
Diane says
This is a large recipe I made cake and cupcakes with the same batch, so if I were to guess, there would be enough cake for at least 2 9″ inch pans. Depending on how you slice it, you’d get about 9 slices from a 9 inch cake which means at least 18 pieces. If you need less just refrigerate or freeze batter to bake another time, I hope that was helpful.
Stephanie L. Brooks says
That is incredibly helpful. Thank you so much for your prompt reply! Can’t wait to try this!
Natalie says
Do you mix the dry buttermilk with water prior to adding the food coloring? I bought this same dry mix and I noticed it says to add to dry ingredients and then add water with wet ingredients so I was wondering how you use it.
Diane says
When using the dry buttermilk in a recipe,I mix the powder with water and add it as a liquid.
Happy Baking!
Kayla says
Im making a 2 to 3 tiered red velvet cake for my sisters sweet 16 and this recipe seems great. I was wondering if the cake is dense enough to withstand the weight of being stacked. Thanks
Diane says
I don’t think you will have any trouble stacking this cake.
Happy Baking!
Kim Bultman | a little lunch says
I love Red Velvet cake, too, and your cream cheese rose on the top and “crumb sprinkles” are the prettiest presentation I’ve seen!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Thanks for the dry buttermilk tip! I haven’t tried it.
com.au says
A colleague linked me to your site. Thanks for the information.
Shyna says
This was an amazing recipe i really like red velvet cakes any kind..
Jasmine says
Hi I was wondering what size pipping tip did you use for this cake? How big is the top layer? I wanna make a giant rosé on a cake for my mother but I have no idea how to get a rosé to be this huge!
Diane says
I use a 2D Wilton tip for the rose. The cake pans are 2″, 3″ and 4″ there is a link to where I ordered them from. The time baked are mentioned for each pan as well.
If you need to cover a larger cake and want it to look like a rose consider doing multiple roses on the cake to completely cover it.
I have a video on how to frost a rose here if that is helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4o6g29mh5Q
Jacque says
Did you use cake flour or all purpose flour in this recipe?
Diane says
I use all purpose flour in this recipe.
physalisl says
I can not find dry butter milk over here. Can i use liquid buttermilk to replace? How much require ?
physalisl says
Can dry buttrtmilk replace by liquid buttermilk?
Diane says
The recipe calls for one cup buttermilk. Yes regular buttermilk is ok, I use dry buttermilk mixed according to the package directions as I always have that on hand. Which ever you prefer to use if fine.
physalisl says
I can not color super red you mentioned in the recipe, any other alternative ? I used normal red colour but finished product looks so funny.
Diane says
If you aren’t able to find it in a cake supply store near you, it’s available online. I found it here on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Ateco-10120-Super-Color-75oz/dp/B000VTIVSS/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1387421340&sr=1-3&keywords=americolor+super+red
Alternatively you will need a lot of red coloring, I only use Americolor so I don’t have a good alternative. LorAnn’s now makes a great Red Velvet Bakery Emulsion and it’s a very pretty red and has a great taste here is a link to that on Amazon as well https://www.amazon.com/LorAnn-Oils-Emulsion-Velvet-Ounce/dp/B006GRKQ0K
Hope that helps!
~Diane