Red velvet cake
Moist, tender red sponge layered with silky cream-cheese frosting — a showstopping cake for birthdays, teatime or any occasion that needs a bit of theatre.
Red velvet cake is all about contrast: an ultra-soft, faintly cocoa sponge dyed a theatrical crimson, offset by tangy cream-cheese frosting. It looks fussier than it is — the technique matters more than the theatrics. Make this when you want a proper celebration cake that feeds a crowd (about 12 generous slices). Use gel colouring for the truest red and give the crumb coat time to set for a professional finish.
Ingredients
- 350 g plain flour
- 400 g caster sugar
- 15 g cocoa powder — unsweetened
- 5 g bicarbonate of soda
- 5 g fine salt
- 240 ml vegetable oil — neutral flavour
- 300 ml buttermilk
- 3 eggs — large, room temperature
- 15 ml red food colouring — use gel for brightest colour; adjust to preference
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 15 ml white wine vinegar
- 400 g full-fat cream cheese — cold
- 100 g unsalted butter — softened
- 450 g icing sugar — sifted
Equipment
- Two 20cm round cake tins
- Electric hand whisk or stand mixer
- Sieve
- Wire cooling rack
- Palette knife or offset spatula
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional. Grease two 20cm round cake tins and line the bases with baking paper.
Sift the plain flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl, then add the bicarbonate of soda and fine salt. Whisk together to combine evenly.
In a separate large bowl, whisk the caster sugar with the vegetable oil until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, then stir in the buttermilk, red food colouring and vanilla extract until smooth.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula until just combined — stop when no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
Quickly stir the white wine vinegar into the batter so it reacts with the bicarbonate and lifts the sponge. Work fast once added.
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins, smooth the tops with a spatula and bake in the centre of the oven for 28 minutes, or until a skewer comes out with a few damp crumbs.
Leave the cakes to cool in their tins for 10 minutes, then turn out.
Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and cool completely for 60 minutes before frosting.
Make the frosting: beat the full-fat cream cheese and softened unsalted butter together until smooth, then gradually add the sifted icing sugar and vanilla extract until silky. Keep the mixture cool and smooth.
If needed, level the cakes with a serrated knife. Place one layer on your serving plate, spread a third of the frosting, top with the second layer and press gently. Apply a thin 'crumb coat' of frosting all over the cake.
Chill the crumb-coated cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
Finish with the remaining frosting, smooth or pipe as you like. Decorate with a light dusting of cocoa or cake crumbs. Chill for 10–15 minutes before serving if you prefer a firmer slice.
Tips
- Use gel red food colouring rather than liquid for a bright colour without too much extra liquid.
- Keep the cream cheese cold until you start the frosting, and don’t overbeat — that keeps the icing firm enough to pipe and slice neatly.
- If you don't have buttermilk, sour 300 ml milk with 15 ml white wine vinegar and leave 5 minutes before using (stays-close in texture).
- Level the cakes on a board for an even layer finish; a cake turntable and an offset spatula make smoothing much easier.
- Make the sponges a day ahead and freeze wrapped; thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting.
Substitutions
buttermilk → 300 ml milk soured with 15 ml white wine vinegar (leave 5 minutes)
Stays closevegetable oil → 240 ml mild sunflower oil
Stays closefull-fat cream cheese → mascarpone (same quantity)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 770
- Calories
- 7 g
- Protein
- 94 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 72 g
- Sugar
- 220 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make the cake without red food colouring?
Yes — use concentrated beetroot purée (roasted, blitzed and reduced) as a natural dye, but expect a slightly different flavour and a more muted red.
How long will the cake keep?
Stored in an airtight cake tin in the fridge it keeps 3–4 days. Bring to near room temperature before serving for best flavour.
Can I make the sponges ahead?
Yes — bake, cool completely, wrap well and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before assembling and frosting.
Why did my sponge sink in the middle?
Common causes are underbaking, opening the oven too early or overmixing the batter. Test with a skewer at the earlier end of the baking time.
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