I call this one Easiest Red Velvet Cake because it's one of those cakes where you just dump all the ingredients into the bowl and stir. The recipe came from a cake decorating supply store, but I've seen it in other places as well. It's similar to the one used a while back by Cake Man Raven, but not quite the same.
Oil is the Key to Easiest Red Velvet
Oil stands in for butter in this cake. A whole lot of it! The recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of oil, which is probably why it's so moist. The good thing is that makes it foolproof, so even the most amateur bakers should be able to knock this one out.
More Recipes
Red Velvet is one of my husband's favorites, so I've made a lot of RV cakes over the years. Here are some links other ones on Cookie Madness.
Recipe
Easiest Red Velvet Cake
A very simple and moist red velvet cake. Great for beginners.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 315 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder not dark
- 1 ½ cups sugar 300 grams
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon red gel paste food color or 1 ounce of red color
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Icing
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened (480 grams)
- 2 sticks butter, softened (230 brams)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Grease two 9 inch round pans and line with parchment or line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa. You want to remove any lumps, because this batter just gets stirred rather than beaten. Stir in the sugar.
- In a second bowl, mix the buttermilk, oil, and eggs with a handheld or stand mixer until well mixed. Stir in the food coloring, vinegar and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients slowly and mix until fully incorporated. Don’t over-beat or you’ll risk toughening up the gluten in the flour.
- Split batter between the pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cakes spring back when touched. If baking cupcakes, start checking for doneness at 20 minutes. Allow cake to
- Cool in the pan. Once cool, turn cake out of pan and trim top if it is rounded.
- Have cream cheese and butter at room temperature. With paddle attachment of a stand mixer or hand mixer, mix butter and cream cheese together. Slowly add confectioners; sugar. Add vanilla last and mix until fluffy.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Becca says
Thanks, Anna,
Sounds like I might have to just try both. I'll let you know how it goes!
Anna says
Hi Becca,
I really like the Wilton gel. Also, this particular recipe is a good one for first timers, but I found one I like a tiny bit better because it's brighter and has more of a twang to it. It's this one.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2010/11/red-velvet-cake-2/
But the one posted here is good too!
Becca says
Hi Anna,
I'm a long time follower on your site and have made many of your recipes, but this is my first time writing. This sounds like a great cake for Red Velvet first timers. Any advice on brands of food coloring? Does the Wilton gel taste okay? Any advice would be great.
Thanks!
Anna says
Sarah, thanks for trying it so quickly!!! I think I might make it this afternoon or tomorrow.
Sarah says
I tried the Aunt Mildred's recipe. Its definitely lighter! Just how I like it. I cut the cocoa into half to achieve a brighter red and added equal amount of flour to compensate. Thanks Anna for the link! the next time I make this I'll probably make one and a half batch to get a bigger cake.
Anna says
Hi Sarah,
This cake is pretty dense and heavy. Some people seem to love that texture, but it's not my favorite either. I actually like my red velvet cake to be a little bit tighter crumbed and lighter, and it sounds like that's what you prefer as well. Given that, you might want to just switch recipes. Using cake flour in this one (you'd have to adjust the amount and use more) might make it softer, but I don't think you'd get what you are looking for. Here's another one you may like better. I haven't made this exact recipe, but I've made cakes with similar proportions and they were very good. You just have to follow the recipe precisely and not make any substitutions. This one is called Aunt Mildred's Red Velvet Cake. I may try to make it this week.
http://southernfood.about.com/od/chocolatecakes/r/blbb588.htm
Sarah says
Hi Anna, if I use cake flour instead, will it turn out different (ie : softer, lighter)? I made this and it was good, it tasted great compared to a couple more red velvet recipe I tried but its a bit dense, the guys loved it. But I think I'd like it a bit lighter. Can that be possible if I change it to cake flour or self-raising flour?
Anna says
Hi Jen,
I think if you've never made a red velvet cake, then this is a great recipe to start with. It's easy, always moist, and people love it.
Jen says
I have never made a Red Velvet cake, but would like to for my husband's birthday at the end of the month. Do you think this is the best (& easiest) recipe you have posted for it? I like that it does not call for cake flour, which I never have on hand.
Kelly Ann says
This cake was awesome! I made red velvet mini cupcakes (so cute!). I like the minimal use but high impact of red food coloring in this recipe too; there are other rv recipes out there with way more red food coloring and the exact same color results.
Leigh Ann says
This cake was FANTASTIC! Thanks so much for the recipe. I'll definitely be keeping it around. And yes - it was great 2 and 3 days afterward!
Jannine says
Thanks Anna, you have fantastic timing! My niece asked me to make her a Red Velvet Cake for her birthday this coming weekend and I was going to look on the web for a good recipe but now I don't need to look any further. As always, you have come through! Any idea if you can substitute liquid food coloring for the gel paste type? Not sure if the extra liquid would affect the finished cake or not. Thanks again!
Clean Veggie says
best. cake. ever.
Anna says
I gave my mom a piece of this cake too. She remarked that it was much better than the H.E.B. red velvet cake (the one I like because I remember it from childhood) and that she tasted a lot of different flavors in the cake. So that was a great review! The point of red velvet is not to be a chocolate cake, but to be a tangy and weird-yet-delicious cake.
This cake seemed to improve with age, so it's a good make-ahead.
PhillyGirl says
Wow, your cake looks delish. I made a RV cake Sat eve but used a boxed mix and canned frosting. Not bad for a pinch when you don't have time for a from-scratch cake. I think Paula Deen's recipe is the best but this one may change my mind.
RecipeGirl says
Did I get you thinking about Red Velvet when we were Twittering about cookies? 🙂 Looks droolworthy!
dawn says
gorgeous. I love a good red velvet cake, but I love a good frosting on it even more.
VeggieGirl says
Lovely red velvet cake!!
Pearl says
What does red velvet cake taste like?
Katie says
Looks delicious. You can reqally see the contrast between the red sponge and the white frosting.
Elyse says
What a gorgeous red velvet cake! It looks absolutely perfect, and perfectly delicious!
Jennifer says
Such a classic here in the South... *love* 🙂 Looks beautiful!