This red velvet layer cake recipe makes a soft, tender, classic red velvet cake with rich cream cheese frosting. It takes about an hour to make from scratch and is perfect for holidays, celebrations, or anytime you want a show-stopping homemade cake.
Red velvet cake is a classic for a reason, and this homemade version delivers everything you expect: a soft, tender crumb, a hint of cocoa, and a vibrant red color. The batter comes together quickly with simple ingredients, and the cake layers bake up evenly and stacks up beautifully.
Once the layers are cooled, they’re covered in a smooth cream cheese frosting that adds just the right amount of tang and sweetness. The entire cake takes around an hour to make, making it a great choice for celebrations, holidays, or any time you want a reliable, from-scratch layer cake that looks impressive without requiring complicated techniques.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Kosher salt: If you don’t have kosher salt or sea salt, use half the amount of table salt.
- Buttermilk: You can make a homemade buttermilk substitute if you don’t have buttermilk.
- Cream cheese: I recommend using full-fat cream cheese or 1/3-less fat. I don’t recommend using fat-free cream cheese as it isn’t very creamy and doesn’t mix well.
- Butter: You can use salted butter and omit the salt.
How to make red velvet layer cake
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans by greasing with nonstick spray and lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 1: Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
Step 3: In a medium saucepan over low heat, add butter, water, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and red food coloring until well combined.
Step 5: Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
Step 6: Divide batter evenly between the two prepared baking pans.
Step 7: Bake for about 23-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans completely before frosting.
Step 8: To make the frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until well combined.
Step 9: Add powdered sugar, salt, and buttermilk. Beat again until smooth.
Step 10: Level cooled cakes (reserve cake scraps from leveling the cakes to use as decoration) then add frosting on top of one of the cakes.
Step 11: Top with the other cake. Frost the outside and decorate as you’d like.
Recipe Tips!
- Frosting amount: The frosting recipe will make enough to frost the top, sides, and layer in between. If you want more of a naked cake-type frosting, you can halve the recipe.
- Buttermilk in the frosting: The buttermilk adds a slight extra tang to the cake. If you prefer less tangy frosting, use heavy cream instead.
- Other frostings: For classic red velvet flavor, use ermine frosting in place of the cream cheese frosting.
Storage
Store any leftover frosted red velvet cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3-4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
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Red Velvet Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Red velvet cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons 1 ounce red food coloring
Cream cheese frosting
- 2-8 ounce packages plain cream cheese at room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- Couple pinches of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans by greasing with nonstick spray and lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, add butter, water, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup water, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Remove from heat. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and red food coloring until well combined.2 large eggs, ½ cup buttermilk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons 1 ounce red food coloring
- Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- Divide batter evenly between the two prepared baking pans.
- Bake for about 23-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pans completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until well combined.2-8 ounce packages plain cream cheese, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add powdered sugar, buttermilk, and salt. Beat again until smooth.10 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup buttermilk, Couple pinches of salt
- Level cooled cakes (reserve cake scraps from leveling the cakes to use as decoration) then add frosting on top of one of the cakes.
- Top with the other cake. Frost the outside and decorate as you’d like.
Notes
- Kosher salt: If you don’t have kosher salt or sea salt, use half the amount of table salt.
- Buttermilk: You can make a homemade buttermilk substitute if you don’t have buttermilk.
- Cream cheese: I recommend using full-fat cream cheese or 1/3-less fat. I don’t recommend using fat-free cream cheese as it isn’t very creamy and doesn’t mix well.
- Butter: You can use salted butter and omit the salt.
- Buttermilk in the frosting: The buttermilk adds a slight extra tang to the cake. If you prefer less tangy frosting, use heavy cream instead.
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- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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