This rich, moist red velvet cake has a hint of cocoa and deep rich red color. An oil-based cake baked from scratch using buttermilk with baking soda, making it extra light and airy. A simple and easy recipe frosted with a light and fluffy cream cheese frosting.

Table of Content
Red velvet is neither vanilla nor chocolate cake. It is a recipe on its own made with buttermilk, sometimes vinegar which creates a reaction with the baking soda added just before baking.
This red velvet is second to none. A deep red, rather red-brown, or mahogany color is a characteristic feature that sets it apart from all other cakes.
Today, I share another red velvet. Yes, I know, we already have one and that's my butter-based red velvet which I use for my wedding cake because butter adds more stability. I usually frost it with my Swiss or Italian meringue buttercream. While I love that one very much I wanted to make one that's an oil-based cake, lighter and airier.
About this cake
This red velvet is an oil-based cake with white sugar. The oil keeps the cake moist, yet light and airy. The buttermilk gives a nice soft and tender crumb too.
Of course, what is a red velvet cake without cream cheese frosting? Right? In addition, I have shared two recipes with you on this blog. One is the classic cream cheese frosting and the other is my NO Buttercream cheese frosting. The options for frosting are endless, see all my over 30 buttercream frosting recipes
Timeline for making this cake
- Prepare cake batter - 10 minutes
- Bake cake - 25 minutes
- Chill cake - 4 hours at least (preferably overnight)
- Prepare frosting - 15 minutes
- Crumb coat cake - 15 minutes
- Chill cake - 15 minutes
- Second coat - 15 minutes
- Chill cake - 15 minutes
- Final smoothing - 15 minutes
- Finishing touches

Ingredients and substitutes
- Oil - The oil in this cake makes for a moist sponge cake.
- Eggs - Always use large size eggs when baking unless specified. The size of eggs varies significantly these days. So, as a guide on large eggs weighs between 50 to 60 grams
- All-purpose flour - Yes, regular plain flour (maida) is all you need for this cake and it does make the cake incredibly moist with a soft crumb. And, do not use any self-raising as those contain more leavening.
- Cocoa powder - The cocoa powder in a red velvet enhances and deepens the color of the red with just hint of flavor. I used regular unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- Buttermilk - Keeps the cake moist with a soft crumb. And, if you don't have buttermilk, you can make buttermilk at home in just 5 minutes - here's my tutorial for homemade buttermilk.
- Vanilla extract - Always use a good quality vanilla extract. I know it's expensive. Therefore, I make my own vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste as well as vanilla sugar.

Natural red food coloring for red velvet cake
The red food color is what makes a red velvet cake red. So yes, you do need some good red food coloring. And, I like to use food color gels diluted with water because they are more concentrated and give that rich shade of red.
Also, you can make a red velvet from scratch using natural food coloring. Substitute the red color with approximately 1 teaspoon of beet powder.
You can also use the liquid from one can of beets. But, you will need to reduce it over a gentle heat until you have about ¼ cup. Then, use just enough (about 2 to 4 tbsp) for the cake.


Step by step instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 160 C / 320 F
- Grease and line 3 x 6-inch round cake pans or 2 x 7-inch- round cake pans
- Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa powder - set aside
- Whip eggs with a pinch of salt using a whisk attachment until light and foamy (see video)
Tips - whole eggs will not whip to stiff peaks but they do become light and foamy - Then gradually add the sugar one tablespoon at a time. Once all the sugar is, in turn, the mixer to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy (ribbon stage)
- Once eggs are whipped slowly add the buttermilk. Followed by the oil and vanilla extract
- Lastly the red food color.
- Gradually fold the flour mixture in three additions with a whisk to prevent lumps.
- Pour into your prepared baking pans. Tap on the counter three times to remove air pockets.
Tip - I like to use cake strips to ensure my layer cakes bake flat. - Bake in a preheated oven on the center rack for 20 to 25 minutes or until the skewer inserted comes clean.
- Cool in the baking pan for 5 minutes. Invert and cool on a wire rack completely before you decorate.
Cream cheese frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream the cream cheese and butter to remove any lumps.
- Add 2 tablespoon of cream, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract– cream another minute
- Next, add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Once all the powdered sugar has been used whip for 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
Tip - do not over whip cream cheese as it can separate or curdle. - Check consistency – if necessary add more powdered sugar to stiffen or more whipping cream to loosen it.
Assemble
- Prepare simple syrup - cool completely before using.
Tip- Simple syrup is just sugar water that has been boiled and cooled. Used to keep cake layers moist. - Once cooled, use a bread knife or cake leveler and cut the domes off the cake layers
- Brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup
- Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
- Top with a big dollop of buttercream - spread evenly using a straight-edge spatula.
- Then top the second cake layer on top followed by more buttercream and the last layer.
- Place the cake in the fridge to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.
Tip - Chilling the cake at this point will ensure the layers don't move when you frost the outside. Though, if you leave the cake uncovered in the fridge for too long it can dry out. So, 10 minutes is all you need. - Spread the remaining buttercream around and top of the cake.
Tip - A straight-edge spatula fo the top, an off-set spatula and bench scraper for the sides work better. - One smooth, place the remaining cream cheese frosting in a piping bag with a star or round and pipe borders on the top and bottom of the cake.
Alternatively, you can crumble the cake domes (scrap cake) into crumbs and use that around the cake on the bottom.
Storage
- The cake will stay fresh for up to four days at cool room temperature, longer if kept in the fridge.
- It can be frozen for a month or more.
Read my - 10 Tips to successfully Baking a Cake from scratch

More red velvet recipes
- Strawberry Red Velvet Cake
- Best Red Velvet Cake with Italian Meringue Buttercream
- Fondant Ruffles Cake with Standing Heart Cake Topper
- Moist Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting
- See all layer cakes
Frequently asked questions
This red velvet cake will stay fresh for up to four days at cool room temperature, and longer if kept in the fridge. Also, it can be frozen for a month or more.
NO, This cake works best with oil but I do have a butter-based red velvet that you can use. It is frosted with Italian meringue but cream cheese works just as well.
Yes, both my red velvet cakes work perfectly with fondant.
Yes, both my red velvet cakes can be used in tiered wedding cakes. And, you can also use my butter-based red velvet cake.
No, I would recommend my butter-based red velvet cake instead of sculpted cakes. Since these oil-based cakes will have more crumbs so difficult to carve.
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Printable Recipe
Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
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Video
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 ½ cup (310 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon (15 g) Cocoa Powder
- ¾ cup (180 ml) Cooking oil
- 1 ½ cup (300 g) Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 3 Eggs
- 1 cup (240 ml) Buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon Red food color (or ¼ teaspoon food gel color)
Cream cheese frosting
- 8 oz (226 g) Cream cheese 38% fat or more
- 4 oz (113 g) Butter unsalted
- 4 cup (480 g) Powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp Whipping cream or milk
- ½ tablespoon Lemon juice
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Extra
- ½ cup (120 ml) Simple Syrup
Instructions
Cake
- Pre-heat the oven to 160 C / 320 F
- Grease and line 3 x 6-inch round cake pans or 2 x 7-inch- round cake pans
- Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa powder - set aside
- Whip eggs with a pinch of salt using a whisk attachment until light and foamy (see video)Tips - whole eggs will not whip to stiff peaks but they do become light and foamy
- Then gradually add the sugar one tablespoon at a time. Once all the sugar is, in turn, the mixer to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy (ribbon stage)
- Once eggs are whipped slowly add the buttermilk. Followed by the oil and vanilla extract
- Lastly the red food color.
- Gradually fold the flour mixture in three additions with a whisk to prevent lumps.
- Pour into your prepared baking pans. Tap on the counter three times to remove air pockets.Tip - I like to use cake strips to ensure my layer cakes bake flat.
- Bake in a preheated oven on the center rack for 20 to 25 minutes or until the skewer inserted comes clean.
- Cool in the baking pan for 5 minutes. Invert and cool on a wire rack completely before you decorate.
Cream cheese frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream the cream cheese and butter to remove any lumps.
- Add 2 tablespoon of cream, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract– cream another minute
- Next, add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Once all the powdered sugar has been used whip for 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.Tip - do not over whip cream cheese as it can separate or curdle.
- Check consistency – if necessary add more powdered sugar to stiffen or more whipping cream to loosen it.
Assemble
- Prepare simple syrup - cool completely before using.Tip- Simple syrup is just sugar water that has been boiled and cooled. Used to keep cake layers moist.
- Once cooled, use a bread knife or cake leveler and cut the domes off the cake layers
- Brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup
- Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
- Top with a big dollop of buttercream - spread evenly using a straight-edge spatula.
- Then top the second cake layer on top followed by more buttercream and the last layer.
- Place the cake in the fridge to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.Tip - Chilling the cake at this point will ensure the layers don't move when you frost the outside. Though, if you leave the cake uncovered in the fridge for too long it can dry out. So, 10 minutes is all you need.
- Spread the remaining buttercream around and top of the cake.Tip - A straight-edge spatula fo the top, an off-set spatula and bench scraper for the sides work better.
- One smooth, place the remaining cream cheese frosting in a piping bag with a star or round and pipe borders on the top and bottom of the cake.Alternatively, you can crumble the cake domes (scrap cake) into crumbs and use that around the cake on the bottom.
Recipe Notes
- Use fine grain or castor sugar when preparing cake batters so it creams and dissolves easily.
- Grease and line the pans with parchment for easy release.
- Keep cakes moist by brushing the layers with simple syrup - simple syrup is a mixture of sugar and water boiled until the sugar is dissolved.
- Cool the cakes for a few hours before frosting or the frosting will melt on warm cakes.
- Use cake strips to bake flat cakes.
Other pans suggestions
If you don’t want to make a layer cake like this. you can- If you want 3 x 8-inch cakes you will need 1 ½ times this recipe so change the serving size in the recipe to 12 and it will calculate the recipe for you.
- Double this batter to make a 9 x 13 sheet cake.
- You can also pour the batter into a well-greased and dusted 6 cups bundt pan for a red velvet bundt cake.
- And these can also be baked into 12 beautiful red velvet cupcakes
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Nivi B
I wish I could share a picture! This was the best ever red velvet velvet cake I have ever made! So delicious, moist, tender, great chocolatey taste! Thank you so much for this recipe! Love love love♥️
Veena Azmanov
Hey Nivi. You can share a picture in our Facebook group here. In fact, please do so others will be motivated to try this recipe too. Thank you
Veena Azmanov
Hey Nivi. Thanks. Happy you enjoyed this recipe. Yes, please share a picture in our Facebook Group so others will be encouraged to try the recipe too. Thanks
Kristy Wengert
The texture is perfect of this cake! I love all of Veena's recipes as when I follow her directions (especially her PRO TIPS) I always churn out something awesome! Thank you!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much Kristy for the lovely feedback. I am so happy you are enjoying my recipes.
Asher
You list baking powder in the ingredients but not when to use it in the instructions!!
Do you just add it to the dry mix?
Veena Azmanov
Yes, please, Asher. Sorry. Will fix it now.
Souju
Hi,
Veena i have tried your redvelvet cake recipe and it was a super hit everyone liked it ....Thank you so much for the recipe ,can't express how grateful I am for sharing such a delicious recipes with us....
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much, Souju. So happy to hear that.
Mahvish
Hie Veena...Really loves your way of cooking and baking Today I was making cream cheese frosting but as i mixed the ingredients (all room temperature),it curdled n was runny.What have I done wrong and how can I fix it?
Veena Azmanov
Mahvish. You must ensure the cream cheese is room temperature other wise it will curdle.