Red Velvet Cake
My beautiful and delish Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese frosting.Recipe courtesy of Joy of Baking
Ingredients
Ingredients for Cake
- 2 ½ cups sifted cake flour 250 grams
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder 15 grams
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature (113gm)
- 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar 300gm
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk 240ml
- 2 tbsp. liquid red food coloring
- 1 tsp. white distilled vinegar
- 1 tsp. baking soda
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 - 8 ounce cream cheese room temperature (227 grams)
- 1 - 8 ounce tub of Mascarpone cheese room temperature (227 grams)
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup confectioners' icing or powdered sugar, sifted (115 grams)
- 1 ½ cups cold heavy whipping cream double cream (35-40% butterfat) (360 ml)
Instructions
- For the Cake:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter two – 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside.In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.In bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 – 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or overnight). (This is done to make filling and frosting the cakes easier.)For the Cream Cheese Frosting:In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth. Using the whisk attachment, gradually add the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is thick enough to spread. Add more sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency.Assemble: With a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half, horizontally. You will now have four cake layers. Place one of the cake layers, top of the cake facing down, onto your serving platter. Spread the cake layer with a layer of frosting. Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting and continue to frost and stack the cake layers. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Can garnish the cake with sweetened or unsweetened coconut.
Notes
How to make Buttermilk A tablespoon of lemon or vinegar mixed in a cup of milk then set aside for 10-15mins and used as directed. Try and use whole milk and make sure it’s at room temperature before adding the lemon/vinegar.
hai fauzia….
congrats… it is given that i have to add vinegar to full fat milk to make buttermilk… should i wait for sometime for the milk to get curdle and to get the sour taste?? or just the curdles milk is enough and no need for the sour taste??please help me…
Hi Josephine! Let it stand for just 5 minutes, as soon as it curdles it is ready to use. No need to wait for it to go sour. 🙂
Hi Fauzia I don have any white Vinegar in the House and want to make this cake today, I have brown malt Vinegar or lemon juice can I replace the white distiller vinegar with either f these and if so what quantity should I use? Thanks
Hi Farihah, I’ve actually only ever used distilled white vinegar for this recipe, not sure how lemon or brown malt vinegar would work in place of it. Sorry dear.
hi fauzia whats da dfference in adding beet root juice
Hi Ruzaika678, it is a natural colouring as opposed to using artificial colours.
asalamwalikum what is mascarpone cheese whats its alternate
W/Salaam it is a type of cream cheese. You can use regular cream cheese in place of mascarpone, like Philadelphia.
hi really wanna try this cake but my prob is that i have an electric oven in which i bake my stuff but its not large enuff to bake 2 pans at a time..cud u help me with tht? can i bake this cake in one pan?
Hi, yes you can, make sure you cover the second pan so the batter doesn’t dry out until your first cake is done.
salam fauzia apa, i eagerly want to make this cake but facing some problem like….in our market i only found foster clarks whip cream…but it is not written whether it is containing 36-40 % fat….in such case should i use that whip cream( foster clarks) or butter cream + cream cheese….
W/Salaam, is it liquid cream? If it is ready whipped cream then I would recommend getting the liquid version. If the pack says it is whipping cream then it should be of the right fat percentage. 🙂
Thx a lot for replying …apa neither it is in liquid version nor it is written in packet whipping cream….it is in powder version and i have to mix some cold milk to get get this whip cream…and in packet it is written WONDER WHIP( TOPPING MIX)….SO i am still in confusion…………….
I get what you mean, personally I prefer the liquid cream not the powdered kind. You can use this one if the other is not available, but since I personally have never tried it, I cannot say how the result may turn out.
Thx a lot for your suggestions and the opinions…………
Hey!
I want to know if i can use cream cheese spread for making the cream cheese frosting and if so then how since i can’t get the cream cheese from here. Please help i want to make the red velvet cake for a friend’s birthday tomorrow.
And i’m wondering if it would go all runny if i use butter cream cheese spread vanilla and sugar?
Reply
Hi, cream cheese spread might be a bit runny so am not sure how the frosting will look. You can make a small amount and see how you find it before making a bigger batch for the cake. Otherwise you can use any frosting that you like for the cake, like buttercream or whipped cream.
Hey, can we freeze the pieces with icing on top??
I would not recommend freezing the icing, you can freeze the cake separately (wrapped well) and make fresh icing when ready to serve.
So if you do use the cream cheese as an alternative for the mascarone, would that mean that you’ll be adding 16 oz of cream cheese?
Yes exactly.
AOA .
Can we get cream cheese easily in Pakistan ?
W/Salaam, am not sure as I am not from Pakistan, but it should be easily available at supermarkets.
A.a with the cup cake do I need to refrigirate too.
W/Salaam, no that won’t be necessary.
Hi where can i get cake flour from? they dont seem to sell it in local stores?
Hi, you can make it at home, read this note on how to. SR Flour
Also is the distilled viniger Malt viniger?
You can use a clear vinegar. Even malt will do.
can i keep the cake batter overnight, add the vinegar and baking powder in the morning and bake it then???
Have never tried that, the batter needs to be at room temperature before baking though! 🙂
AOA Fauzia, can I use 1/2 cup of oil instead of 1/2 cup butter ?
& another question not related to this recipe,I have read at so many places about mustard powder in making mayonnaise so do you have any idea about it ? can I omit it or any other alternate for mustard powder?
Thank you so much, well I like your recipes a lot and have tried also some and got expected results too :)…..
W/Salaam, best to use butter for this recipe. Sorry but am not really sure about the mustard powder in mayonnaise although I believe you can leave it out if you don’t want that flavour.
Hi fauzia,wnt to do dis for eid,if i use a whole cret of eggs,wat measuremnt should i use for the others?.wont the eggs be to much?.tnx
Number of eggs is mentioned in the recipe. If you are using more eggs, multiply the amounts of all the other ingredients accordingly.
Sorry,forgot 2 mention,wnt to do cupcakes.tnx
hw much red powdered food color can we use instead of liquid.thnx
Hard to say, first mix the powdered colour in a few drops of water or milk and then add to the batter and mix until the desired colour is achieved.
thnk you.il do tht n try
pls can i have the self raising flour and butter milk
jazakallahuhira
resp
Butter milk recipe is posted under this recipe. You do NOT need SR flour for this cake. But here is the way to make it: 1 cup plain flour plus 1 and a half tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt sieved together.
Can I make the icing without whipped cream my friend is allergic
Yes you can.
hi Fauzia,
i wanted to know, which brand of whipping cream do you use for the cream cheese frosting? and can we use butter in place of the whipped cream?
Hi, depends on where you are located. Different countries have different brands. And no you cannot use butter in place of whipped cream, those are two very different things.
which brand of whipping cream should i get if i am in dhaka? and thanks 🙂 i saw this other recipe on the internet for the cream cheese frosting and they used almost the same ingredients but not the whipping cream but butter, so thought of asking you to make sure.
Unfortunately I am not from Dhaka so cannot know which brands are available. I personally have not tried with butter so that concept is new to me, but maybe it can be an excellent combination. You can give it a try if you like, do let me know how it turns out. 🙂
can u plz tell me the brand name of cream cheese u used?? is Philadelphia spreadable n the block one cheese both can b used?? and wat abt the triangle cheese pieces is tht also cream cheese??
Philadelphia cream cheese is best. Not the spreadable version, the slightly solid block. Definitely not the triangle pieces.
Can I know any alternate to use instead of cake flour for the red velvet cake.
And if I’m doing a smaller one than this, should I take all measurements equally half of the recipe.
Eager to know ur reply. 🙂
Cake flour is really easy to make, recipe is included. And yes you can halve the ingredients to make one 8″ cake.
Slm !pls fauzy can I use baking powder instead of the soda
W/Salaam, no the two should not be substituted, each works differently.
please tell me how to make butter milk
Recipe for buttermilk is included in the recipe dear…please re-check?
tanx shd i take out the fat and use or directly
can be used sorry since i dnt know much abt butter milk
Give it a mix and use, do not take the fat out.
Hi, I was going through your red velvet cake to make it for this valentine. I just wanted to know that we should use cake flour and the recipe of cake flour is there on the site. I am surprised isnt there any baking powder needed for this cake ? And secondly can you plz put some fondant icing and some other easy icing for cake . I have tried butter milk icing but it come out good. So looking for fresh cream with fruit and some fondants thanks
Hi, no baking powder is used as there is baking soda that has been used in the recipe…which reacts with the vinegar to help the cake rise. 🙂
what other frosting will be best for red velvet cake beside this cream cheese frosting ????
Whipped cream works beautifully too.
i don’t have an electric oven how can i set with a microwave oven
Sorry but I never use the microwave for baking/cooking.
salams Fauzia, I tried this
salams Fauzia, I tried this cake was good but experienced one problem it turned out to be dry…please could you tell me what my mistake maybe so I can improve on that. Thanks
W/Salaam, could be that the
W/Salaam, could be that the cake was overbaked? Try baking it for slightly less time next time. 🙂
i followed all the
i followed all the ingredients accurately except salt, just addedd a pinch of it as we dont add much salt in our food. the cake texture came out perfect. the problem is i dont why it came out to be very salty to an extend its not edible. can u help me with the reason?
Hmm that is strange! Did you
Hmm that is strange! Did you use salted butter? And was the baking soda fresh?
Hi, I love the red velvet
Hi, I love the red velvet cake. How can i make it without the oven but with the Jiko?or can i use the same procedure as you have given?
Hi! Have not tried this
Hi! Have not tried this recipe on a jiko as it is a bit delicate but you can try and let me know how it turns out. InshaAllah it will be fine.
Asw , my cream cheese
Asw , my cream cheese frosting has become runny n liquid…plz help.thanks.
W/Salaam, did you by any
W/Salaam, did you by any chance over-whip it? That turns it runny very fast. You can add icing sugar although that may make the frosting a bit too sweet. Add 1 tbsp of cornflour and mix, hopefully that will help stabilise it.
Assalam aleikum…,could I
Assalam aleikum…,could I use self raising flour instead of cake flour?
W/Salaam, no the two are
W/Salaam, no the two are completely different types of flour. Do not substitute.
Slmz,what could be the reason
Slmz,what could be the reason for my cake turning brown from the side? Is it becasue of the brown vinegar?(I used brown vinegar) and also which vinegar is best for this cake?! Jzk
W/Salaam, you need white
W/Salaam, you need white distilled vinegar for the cake. Does the cake brown just on one side?
Assalum alaykum
Assalum alaykum
Thanking you once again for all your recipe. For the red velvet cake im unable to get red liquid color i can only get powdered my question is if i can use it and what quantity??
W/Salaam, yes you can use
W/Salaam, yes you can use powdered food colouring. Add some in a few drops of water and mix then add it to the batter and stir. Keep adding until you have the desired colour.
Hi can i use this recipie
Hi can i use this recipie for cupcake?
Hi, yes you can. 🙂
Hi, yes you can. 🙂
Hi, my oven is too small to
Hi, my oven is too small to bake two cakes at the same time. Is it possible to bake this cake mixture as one cake then slice it into two for the frosting? Or can i bake one cake at a time…. meaning the other half cake mixture is waiting till the other is done baking?
Hi, best to bake one cake at
Hi, best to bake one cake at a time. Make sure to cover the other batter whilst the first one bakes.
Thanks for the reply. One
Thanks for the reply. One other question I just read how to make the cake flour but am allergic to anything with maize flour. Is there another alternative for the cornstarch i can use? Can’t i just use the all-purpose flour without the corn starch?
Yes you can leave out the
Yes you can leave out the cornflour, the cake will not be as light but it will still be great.
Fauzia I tried ur Red velvet
Fauzia I tried ur Red velvet cake today n must say that it turned out yummilicious…thanks fauzia for sharing so good recipes for us ….
salams!Can i use happy cow
salams!Can i use happy cow cheese instead of cream cheese!!Thanks in advance:)
W/Salaam, the results will
W/Salaam, the results will not be same with the happy cow cream cheese as that is more a sandwich cheese than for frosting.
slms!!!Can i omit mascaporne
slms!!!Can i omit mascaporne cheese/is there any substitute!!love ur recipes n jzk!
W/Salaam, you can use cream
W/Salaam, you can use cream cheese in place of the mascarpone. Thanks!
Can I make cupcakes with this
Can I make cupcakes with this recipe?
Yes you can.
Yes you can.
Hi can i make this without
Hi can i make this without frosting it will be good?
Hi, you can although the
Hi, you can although the frosting does add moistness and flavour to the cake.
Hi,should I take the same
Hi,should I take the same ingredients quantity for cup cake or I should take half?
Hi, depends on how many
Hi, depends on how many cupcakes you want. The recipe makes between 20-24.
Oky thanks, and can I use red
Oky thanks, and can I use red powder colour or it should be liquid?
Yes powdered colour is fine,
Yes powdered colour is fine, mix it in a bit of water or milk before stirring it into the batter.
Thanks a lot
Thanks a lot
Hi can I use baking powder
Hi can I use baking powder instead of baking soda?
No, the two are not the same
No, the two are not the same thing.
Hello, I baked the cake
Hello, I baked the cake yesterday and alhamdulilah it turned out nice but the only thing it turned brownish is it because of the cocoa powder?
Hi, probably…or maybe you
Hi, probably…or maybe you did not use enough red colour.
First of all Eid Mubarak. .
First of all Eid Mubarak. .
it might be.. will bake next time and hopefully it turns out nice in taste and colour 🙂 thank u..
Asalamu alaikum,
Asalamu alaikum,
In making cake flour, can i use corn flour instead of corn starch? Please reply asap!!
Wsalaam. Both are the same
Wsalaam. Both are the same exact thing.
Hi can i use Wilton color?
Hi can i use Wilton color?
Hi, yes you can.
Hi, yes you can.
Asalamoalaikum WARAHMATULAHI
Asalamoalaikum WARAHMATULAHI wabarakato.If using red food color pwd for than how much should v use same amount or .?
W/Salaam, you might need to
W/Salaam, you might need to add and mix until your reach a bright red colour.
Hey can I use blue band
Hey can I use blue band instead of the butter?
You can although the flavour
You can although the flavour will not be as good as when you use butter.
Aslm fauzia cn I use vanilla
Aslm fauzia cn I use vanilla powder instead of vanilla extract n hw mch shud I put
W/Salaam, yes you can.
W/Salaam, yes you can. Depends on the intensity of the powder, they are quite potent. About a quarter tsp should be enough.
Assalaam
Assalaam
We can use laban as butter milk..right?
W/Salaam, yes you can.
W/Salaam, yes you can.
salaam,.
salaam,.
Can v use almarai cream cheese together for frosting..i mean the whole 16 ounce??
W/Salaam, if it is a salty
W/Salaam, if it is a salty cream cheese the result will end up being too salty.
Salaam 🙂
Salaam 🙂
I am making 3 of your recipes for Eid InshaAllah
I am making the red velvet cake which I have made before (Stunning) but I am scared to make this frosting instead of your carrot cake cream cheese frosting, which is divine! How does this one compare?
Is it really good?
W/Salaam, I really do favour
W/Salaam, I really do favour the carrot cake frosting, so I would go with that one as it will compliment this cake just as beautifully. 🙂
Salam fouzia..i want to make
Salam fouzia..i want to make this cake with out cheese frosting as my husband dsnt like cheese..can u plz tell me abt buttrr cream frosting..how to make this?
W/Salaam check for my
W/Salaam check for my buttercream frosting also in this folder.
One more question….u used
One more question….u used granulated white sugur not castor..does it melts in red velvet cake?as i have used granulated in my marble cake n it was un melted remained same:-(
If you find your granulated
If you find your granulated sugar is too course, by all means grind it or use castor. 🙂
Hellooo..salam..i made ds
Hellooo..salam..i made ds wonderful cake on eid vd 4cup flour..it was 6layers story cake..it was yumlicious..many thnx for the amazing effort for us….the only issue was its color..it turned pinkish red whole i use lot of red colour..i will trh vd sm other brand again..thnx alot
Can I make buttercream
Can I make buttercream frosting for this cake? As I don’t like cream cheese much.
Buttercream frosting is good to make design or flowers on cake or cream cheese frosting is good?
Yes you can use buttercream
Yes you can use buttercream to frost. Both frostings can be piped.
Hey ,
Hey ,
May i know if i can use vegetable oil instead of butter??? Please reply
Hi, yes you can.
Hi, yes you can.
Asalam fauzia thanks for all those yummy recipes..can u pls tell me what can be used to replace buttermilk? Because it seems like its not easily available in my country..thanks..
W/Salaam, a tip on how to make buttermilk is given at the bottom of the recipe.