Matzo Red Velvet Cake Recipe

This Matzo Red Velvet Cake recipe is a moist and fluffy recipe, which is made with matzo cake meal and cocoa powder. It’s the perfect Passover dessert, ready in about 3 hours (including cooling).

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Matzo Red Velvet Cake Ingredients

For the Cake:

1/3 cup vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons kosher potato starch
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup packed matzo cake meal
10 large eggs
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

How To Make Matzo Red Velvet Cake

Prep Oven and Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly brush two 9-inch-round cake pans with oil, line the bottoms with parchment, and oil the parchment. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons each of potato starch and cocoa powder and use this mixture to dust the prepared pans.
Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift the matzo cake meal and the remaining potato starch and cocoa powder into a bowl.
Heat the Eggs: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and salt together. Set this bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (a double boiler) and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is hot (110°F to 120°F).
Whip the Eggs: Attach the bowl to the stand mixer with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed for about 5 minutes, until very light and foamy (it should triple in volume).
Make the Batter: In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/3 cup of vegetable oil, the food coloring, and vanilla. On low speed, gradually beat the cocoa-matzo mixture into the egg mixture. Then, gradually beat in the oil mixture until just incorporated. Finish folding the batter with a rubber spatula.
Bake and Cool: Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for about 30 minutes, until the cakes pull away from the sides. Let them cool in the pans for 15 minutes before turning them out onto a rack to cool completely.
Make the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar, then the vanilla. Increase the speed to high and beat until smooth and fluffy.
Assemble and Chill: Place one cooled cake layer on a platter and spread with 1 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with the second layer. Apply a very thin “crumb coat” of frosting over the whole cake and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm.
Frost and Set: Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting, then return it to the refrigerator to set for 1 to 2 hours.

Recipe Tips

Why do I have to heat the eggs? This is a classic sponge cake technique. Heating the eggs and sugar together allows them to whip to a much greater volume, which is what makes this flourless-style cake so light and fluffy.
Why dust the pan with cocoa and potato starch? For a dark cake like this, dusting the greased pan with a cocoa mixture (instead of flour) prevents a “ghostly” white layer on the finished cake, keeping the edges dark and beautiful.
How do I get a non-grainy frosting? Make sure your cream cheese and butter are both at room temperature. Cold lumps will not beat out. It also helps to sift the confectioners’ sugar if it’s lumpy.
Can I make this ahead? Yes. The frosted cake must be chilled to set. You can make it up to 2 days in advance. Store it in the refrigerator, but let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor and texture.

What To Serve With Matzo Red Velvet Cake

This is a rich, decadent cake that is the star of the dessert table.

A hot cup of black coffee or tea
A cold glass of milk
A small handful of fresh raspberries for a color contrast

How To Store Matzo Red Velvet Cake

Refrigerate: This cake must be stored in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese frosting. Keep it in a cake dome or an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze: This cake freezes beautifully. You can freeze the entire frosted cake or individual slices. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Matzo Red Velvet Cake Nutrition Facts

(Per slice, assuming 16 slices)

Calories: ~510 kcal
Total Fat: 30g
Saturated Fat: 16g
Cholesterol: 155mg
Sodium: 220mg
Total Carbohydrate: 56g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 42g
Protein: 7g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

What is Matzo Cake Meal?

It’s a special flour for Passover baking, made from matzo that has been very finely ground, almost to the consistency of flour. It’s the key to making this cake Kosher for Passover.

Can I make this if it’s not Passover?

Absolutely! If you can’t find matzo cake meal, you can substitute it with the same amount (1/3 cup) of all-purpose flour for a similar (though not kosher for Passover) result.

Why is there no baking soda or vinegar?

A traditional red velvet cake is a buttermilk cake that uses the reaction between acidic vinegar and alkaline baking soda for lift. This recipe is a sponge cake, which gets its lift only from the air you whip into the eggs.