Easy Red Velvet Cake Recipe
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Get ready to fall in love with this homemade red velvet cake! The cake is light, moist, and has delicious flavors of buttermilk, cocoa, and vanilla. The sweet cream cheese topping and sprinkles complete the package. Make it for your next get-together, or when the cravings hit, because life is too short for bad cake!
Red velvet bundt cake is my go-to dessert for entertaining or gifting. It’s easy to make, plus its deep red color and rich, velvety crumb make it so easy to love. I enjoy seeing this gorgeous cake sitting on my counter, warm and drizzled with creamy frosting, but what truly makes my heart happy is watching family and friends dive in for seconds (or thirds!). This red velvet cake truly is the best.
Whether it’s a holiday, a birthday bash, or just a regular Tuesday that needs a little extra sparkle, this cake won’t disappoint. It also makes a great romantic picnic food you can share with your special someone on your next date. Try it once and prepare to make it over and over again!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy cake recipe: This cake is easy to whip up, yet it’s pretty and fancy that it looks like you spent all day in the kitchen.
- Insanely good: Classic red velvet flavor paired with sweet cream cheese frosting makes a delicious dessert that’s indulgent but not overly sweet.
- Rich and velvety: Moist, tender, and absolutely dreamy – every bite melts in your mouth.
- Great for sharing: This cake can feed a crowd, making it ideal for family meals and for entertaining.
- Year-round treat: From holidays like Valentine’s Day, Christmas, and New Year’s to birthdays and casual gatherings, it’s a versatile dessert that suits every occasion throughout the year.
- Make-ahead friendly: Bake it ahead of time and it stays fresh and delicious for days – just frost when you’re ready to serve.
How to Make Red Velvet Cake
Can you believe that it takes just a little over an hour to make this gorgeous red velvet cake? And a chunk of that time is the cake baking in the oven. It’s a lot more straightforward than you think, too – simply make the batter, bake the cake, whip up the creamy topping, and frost! It’s super easy and beginner-friendly.
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
For the cake:
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cocoa powder: Adds a subtle chocolate flavor and contributes to the cake’s color when combined with buttermilk and red food coloring. I use natural cocoa powder which is lighter in color than Dutch-processed, making the color of the cake more vibrant.
- Vegetable oil: Keeps the cake moist and tender.
- Buttermilk: Tangy and creamy buttermilk makes this bundt cake soft and fluffy. Also helps activate the baking soda.
- Eggs: Adds richness and helps bind the ingredients together.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a nice flavor to the cake and helps round out the sweetness.
- Red food coloring: Gives the cake its signature red velvet hue. I recommend using gel food coloring for a more vibrant color without affecting the batter consistency.
For the frosting:
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese for the best taste and texture. I don’t recommend using low-fat.
- Butter: Adds richness and makes the frosting smooth and spreadable.
- Powdered sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness and gives the glaze a smooth consistency.
- Sprinkles: Optional but ideal for visual appeal and adding a fun touch, especially when you’re serving at a party or gifting.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ready to make your soon to be favorite cake? Just follow the 5 simple steps below and you can’t go wrong – you’ll have a perfectly baked, amazingly good red velvet bundt cake to enjoy in no time!
Step 1: Make the batter
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Mix well until all the dry ingredients are evenly incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add a few drops of red food coloring to achieve the desired red velvet color.
Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until the batter is smooth and no lumps remain.
Step 2: Bake
Next, pour the batter into the prepared bundt cake pan, spreading it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 3: Cool
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4: Whip up the frosting
While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and softened butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar to the cream cheese and butter mixture, beating well after each addition, until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Step 5: Frost the cake
Once the cake has cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting over the top and sides of the bundt cake. Decorate with pink or red sprinkles to add a touch of love. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Substitutions
Don’t let a missing ingredient stop you from enjoying making this delicious cake. This recipe does call for quite a few ingredients, but don’t worry! Here’s how to make it work with what you have:
- All-purpose flour: If you prefer a lighter, soft-crumbed cake texture, use cake flour. You can also substitute with the same amount of gluten-free flour blend.
- Vegetable oil: Swap vegetable oil with canola oil or melted coconut oil if preferred.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice with 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Vanilla extract: No vanilla extract? Try vanilla bean paste or almond extract.
- Red food coloring: For a natural option, try beet juice or powdered beetroot.
- Cream cheese: Mascarpone cheese can be used as a substitute for a milder flavor.
- Powdered sugar: Substitute with coconut sugar or a sugar-free powdered sweetener for a healthier alternative.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients: Make sure that your cream cheese, eggs, and other dairy are softened or at room temperature for a smoother batter and better incorporation of ingredients.
- Don’t over-mix: Overmixing can make the cake thick and dense. Combining the wet and dry ingredients until they are just barely incorporated to make a very light and fluffy crumb texture.
- Add a splash of vinegar: Adding vinegar to the batter is optional, but it helps brighten the cake’s color. Don’t worry, you won’t taste it!
- Cool before frosting: Let the cake cool completely before adding the glaze to avoid melting and to make sure that it coats evenly.
- Experiment with toppings: Add a crunchy streusel topping, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts for extra texture and flavor. Edible glitter will look so pretty, too!
How to Store This Recipe
Transfer leftovers into an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Thaw frozen red velvet cake in the fridge overnight before eating.
What to Serve with Red Velvet Cake
Frosted red velvet cake is delicious on its own, but we enjoy an unfrosted slice with summer berries, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel or chocolate sauce. This cake is a great pair for your favorite hot or iced coffee, tea, or chocolate drink.
More Easy Desserts To Try
If you make this red velvet cake, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and review comment!
Red Velvet Bundt Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 bundt cake pan 8 inches
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 drops red food coloring
Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup softened butter
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 pinches pink or red sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Mix well until all the dry ingredients are evenly incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add a few drops of red food coloring to achieve the desired red velvet color.
- Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until the batter is smooth and no lumps remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt cake pan, spreading it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and softened butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar to the cream cheese and butter mixture, beating well after each addition, until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Once the cake has cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting over the top and sides of the bundt cake. Decorate with pink or red sprinkles to add a touch of love. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure that your cream cheese, eggs, and other dairy are softened or at room temperature for a smoother batter and better incorporation of ingredients.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined to avoid a dense cake. Overmixing can make the cake tough and dry.
- Adding vinegar to the batter is optional, but it helps brighten the cake’s color. Don’t worry, you won’t taste it!
- Let the cake cool completely before adding the glaze to avoid melting and to make sure that it coats evenly.
- Add a crunchy streusel topping, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts for extra texture and flavor. Edible glitter will look so pretty, too!
