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red velvet cake recipe with cream cheese frosting and strawberries

The Best Red Velvet Cake Recipe (video)

1 hour 30 minutes prep + 40 minutes cook
16 servings
Rich and delicious red velvet cake with chocolate cake layers and cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients 
US Customary - Metric

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 3/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • red food coloring

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 4 cups confectioner's sugar
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • strawberries, for garnish

Instructions

For Red Velvet Cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 3, 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper (or, 2, 9-inch cake pans); set aside.
  • Combine the milk and vinegar; set aside for 5 to 7 minutes to sour the milk. Meanwhile, prepare the remaining wet ingredients. Place the sugar and butter into a mixing bowl and using stand mixer or hand mixer, whisk the two ingredients together until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and keep whisking the mixture for a few more minutes. Pour in the soured milk and mix again.
  • Prepare the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Using a fine-mesh sifter, add the flour into the cake batter, whisking after each addition. Be careful not to over-mix the batter; mix just until combined! Add the food coloring. The amount you will need depends on the type of food coloring you use. Gel food color tends to be more concentrated.
  • Divide the cake batter between prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove cakes from pans and onto cooling racks to cool completely before frosting.

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Prepare the frosting. Place the softened cream cheese and butter into a mixer bowl. Whisk on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes, scraping sides of bowl often, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add a few tablespoons of cream and the vanilla extract. Begin adding the confectioner's sugar 1 cup at a time. Beat the frosting for about 5 minutes until light and airy. If the frosting is too soft, refrigerate it for 1 hour.

Assembling the Cake:

  • Assemble the cake. Use a sharp, serrated knife to even off the top of each layer. Preserve the scrapes if you wish to garnish the cake with crumbs. Spread a very generous amount of frosting between each layer and on top and sides. Garnish top with cake crumbs or strawberries.
  • Keep cake covered and refrigerated. Remove from refrigerator 1/2 hour prior to serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 1122IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 1mg