Best Ever Red Velvet Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour three 9 by 1 1/2-inch round cake pans.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.
• Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.
• Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.
• Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the Cream Cheese Frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with the pecans.
• In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)
• Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of two 20cm cake tins with baking parchment - if your cake tins are quite shallow, line the sides to a depth of at least 5cm.
• Put half each of the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarb, sugar and salt in a bowl and mix well. If there are any lumps in the sugar, squeeze these through your fingers to break them up.
• Mix half each of the buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, food colouring and 100ml water in a jug. Add 2 eggs and whisk until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until well combined. The cake mixture should be bright red, it will get a little darker as it cooks. If it's not as vivid as you'd like, add a touch more colouring. Pour the cake mixture evenly into the two tins, and bake for 25-30 mins, or until risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the baking parchment and leave to cool.
• Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the remaining ingredients, so you have four sponge cakes in total. Can be made up to three days ahead and will stay moist if wrapped in cling film, or you can wrap well and freeze for up to two months.
• To make the icing, put the butter in a large bowl and sieve in half the icing sugar. Roughly mash together with a spatula, then whizz with a hand mixer until smooth. Add the soft cheese and vanilla, sieve in the remaining icing sugar, mash together again, then blend once more with the hand mixer.
• To assemble the cake, stick one of the sponges to a cake stand or board with a little of the soft cheese icing. Use roughly half the icing to stack the remaining cakes on top, spreading a generous amount between each layer. Pile the remaining icing on top of the assembled cake, and use a palette knife to ease it over the edges, covering the entire surface of the cake. Tidy the plate with a piece of kitchen paper. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days, but bring back to room temperature for an hour or so before eating.This recipe was refreshed in July 2018 based on user feedback. For the original recipe, see our beetroot cake.

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 10 inch cake pans.
• Beat the shortening and white sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Room-temperature eggs should be added one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the shortening mixture before adding the next. Mix the cocoa and red food coloring in a separate bowl and stir into the shortening mixture. Combine the flour and salt. Pour in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing until just incorporated. Stir in vanilla extract. In another separate bowl, mix the vinegar and baking soda. Fold in the vinegar mixture while fizzing; mixing just enough to evenly combine. Pour the batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
• To make frosting: Cream together margarine and confectioner's sugar, then add vanilla extract. Beat until light and fluffy. Frost cooled cake and sprinkle with walnuts.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• 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 time, mixing after each addition, just until combined.
• Generously grease and flour two round cake pans with crisco and flour.
• Pour the batter evenly into each pan.
• Bake in the middle rack for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake as cake will continue to cook as it cools.
• Let cool on a cooling rack until the pan are warm to the touch.
• Slide a knife or offset spatula around the inside of the pans to loosen the cake from the pan.
• Remove the cakes from the pan and let them cool.
• Frost the cake with cream cheese frosting when the cakes have cooled completely.

Steps:

• For the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and lightly coat the paper with nonstick spray.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk, food coloring and vanilla in a second medium bowl.
• Beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer) on medium-high speed until very light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer still running, slowly add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Reduce the speed to low. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients; mix until smooth. Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
• Bake until the cakes are slightly puffed, and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the centers, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto the rack to cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on high speed (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer) until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar. Once all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• To assemble the cake: Place one cake, domed-side down, on a platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the frosting evenly over the top. Place the remaining cake, domed-side up, on top. Spread the top with 1 1/2 cups of the frosting. Frost the sides of the cake with another 1 1/2 cups frosting and smooth out completely to make an even crumb coat. (It's ok if some of the cake shows through. This is just a base layer.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set.
• Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, swirling decoratively. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease 2 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Whisk to combine.
• In a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, vinegar, and red food coloring.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar together with an electric hand mixer on high speed until light, fluffy, and homogenous, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and beat on medium speed until incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat to incorporate.
• Add ½ of the buttermilk mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed until well combined, 1-2 minutes. Add ½ of the dry ingredients and beat until well-combined, 1-2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining buttermilk and dry ingredients. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the coffee and beat until just combined.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before flipping the cakes out onto a wire rack, then let cool completely
• While the cakes are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting: In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric hand mixer on high speed until well combined and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add the heavy cream, salt, and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and beat until the frosting is fluffy and smooth.
• Once cakes have cooled, trim off the domed tops, reserving the scraps. Cut each cake in half so you have 4 even layers.
• Place 1 cake layer, cut-side up, on a cake stand. Spread an even layer of frosting over the cake. Place another cake layer cut-side down on top of the first layer, spreading another even layer of frosting on top. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers. Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the sides and smooth out with an offset spatula or bench scraper. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes, until the layer of frosting has hardened.
• Frost the outside of the cake with a thick layer of frosting. Crumble the reserved cake scraps, then press into the frosting around the bottom of the cake.
• Slice and serve.
• Enjoy!
• RECIPE BY: Amanda Berrill

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F; grease three 9" round cake pans with butter and line bottoms with parchment. (If you've only got 2 pans, that's okay).
• Sift flour, cocoa and salt into a bowl.
• Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer until fluffy. Add oil and beat until incorporated. Beat in eggs one at a time. With machine on low, add red food coloring or beet juice, if using, very slowly. (Take care, it may splash.) Add vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk or yogurt & milk in 2 batches. Scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.
• Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine running. Beat just until batter is smooth.
• Divide batter among pans, place in oven and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 40-45 minute if using three pans, 50 minute for two pans. Let cool in pans 20 min., then remove from pans, flip layers over and peel off parchment. Cool completely before frosting.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt. Use a whisk to mix dry ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl or stand up mixing bowl, combine applesauce and sweetener. Mix in the egg whites, light buttermilk, vanilla, and red gel food coloring to the applesauce and sweetener. Next, add the coffee and vinegar to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Beat together the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients and make sure to beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until all ingredients are mixed well. Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake. For frosting: Beat all ingredients together until creamy and fluffy in a stand up mixer or using a hand mixer. Allow cakes to cool. Using dental floss or a sharp knife, slice cakes in half. Spoon about 2 Tbsp of cream cheese icing on the bottom half and spread evenly. Place top half back on and then cover tops with icing. Sprinkle cakes with (optional) mini chocolate chips.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans. In a bowl, sift cake flour with baking soda.
• Mash the vegetable shortening with 1 1/2 cup of sugar in a large bowl until thoroughly combined, and stir in the eggs, one at a time. Pour the red food coloring into a small bowl, and fill the empty food coloring container with water; add the water to the food coloring. Stir in cocoa powder to make a paste, and mix the paste into the shortening mixture.
• Stir the buttermilk, salt, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar in a bowl, and mix into the colored shortening mixture, alternating with the flour mixture, until well combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
• To make frosting, whisk together the milk and all-purpose flour in a saucepan until the mixture is free of lumps, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick, about 1 minute. Pour the thickened sauce into a mixing bowl, and chill until completely cooled, at least 30 minutes. When cold, place the butter into the mixture, and beat with an electric mixer to combine; add the vanilla extract and 2 cups of sugar to the bowl, and beat with the mixer set on Medium speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.