Southern Red Velvet Cake Recipe

This Southern Red Velvet Cake Recipe is a moist and fluffy recipe, which is made with buttermilk and cocoa powder. It’s a classic, foolproof recipe, ready in about 3 hours (including cooling).

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Southern Red Velvet Cake Ingredients

For the Cake:

• Vegetable oil for the pans
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened
• 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Crushed pecans, for garnish

How To Make Southern Red Velvet Cake

For the Cake:

1. Preheat Oven and Prep Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Rub the inside of two 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable oil. Dust them with flour and tap out any excess.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the 2 1/2 cups of flour, sugar, baking soda, fine salt, and cocoa powder.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, room-temperature buttermilk, room-temperature eggs, red food coloring, white distilled vinegar, and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. Mix Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a whisk to mix only until the ingredients are just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Bake the Cake Layers: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Tap the pans on the counter to release any large air bubbles. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Cool Completely: Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks, remove the pans, and let the layers cool completely (at least 2 hours).

For the Frosting:

1. Beat Cream Cheese and Butter: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Add Sugar and Vanilla: On low speed, gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar until it is all incorporated. Add the vanilla extract, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another 2-3 minutes, or until the frosting is very smooth and airy.

Assembly:

1. Level and Frost: Once the cake layers are 100% cool, level them with a serrated knife (optional, but it helps). Place one layer on a cake stand or serving plate.
2. Stack and Frost: Spread about 1/3 of the frosting over the first layer. Top with the second cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the entire cake with the remaining frosting.
3. Garnish: Gently press the crushed pecans around the base or on top of the cake as a garnish.

Recipe Tips

• Why are room-temperature ingredients important? Using room-temperature buttermilk and eggs is crucial. This allows the ingredients to blend together smoothly, creating an even, light, and fluffy cake crumb instead of a dense one.
• Can I use less food coloring? You can, but the cake’s color will be a more brownish-red. The 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of liquid food coloring is what gives the cake its classic, vibrant red shade, as it has to overcome the brown from the cocoa powder.
• Why did my frosting melt off the cake? Your cake layers were still warm. This is the most common mistake! Cream cheese frosting will melt on contact with a “mostly cool” cake. The layers must be 100% cooled to room temperature, which can take up to 2 hours.
• Can I toast the pecans? Absolutely! Toasting the crushed pecans in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes (or in a dry pan) before garnishing will bring out their nutty flavor and make them crunchier.

What To Serve With Southern Red Velvet Cake

This cake is a rich, classic standalone dessert.

• A cold glass of milk (the ultimate pairing)
• A hot cup of black coffee or tea
• A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream

How To Store Southern Red Velvet Cake

• Refrigerate: This cake must be stored in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese frosting. Place it in a cake dome or an airtight container, where it will keep for up to 5 days.
• Serving: The cake tastes best when served at room temperature (or slightly chilled). Let it sit out for 20-30 minutes before serving to allow the butter in the frosting to soften.
• Freeze: 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.

Southern Red Velvet Cake Nutrition Facts

(Per slice, assuming 16 slices)

• Calories: ~720 kcal
• Total Fat: 45g
• Saturated Fat: 13g
• Cholesterol: 75mg
• Sodium: 400mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 73g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 55g
• Protein: 6g

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

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