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Southern red velvet 2-layer cake slice on a plate.
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5 from 18 votes

Southern Red Velvet Cake

An easy Southern red velvet cake that's super moist, delicious, and made entirely from scratch.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Servings: 10
Author: Julie Maestre

Equipment

  • 2 9-inch round cake pans
  • spatula
  • Whisk
  • bowls

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk room temperature
  • 1 tbsp red food coloring or more if needed
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 8 ounces cream cheese full fat, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 9-inch cake pans. 
  • In a large bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and red food coloring. 
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and unsweetened cocoa powder. 
  • Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until well combined but don't over mix. It's fine if you see some lumps in the batter. 
  • In a small bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar and baking soda. Once it foams up, add it to the cake batter and fold it in. 
  • Evenly divide the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 25–26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  • Allow the cakes to cool completely and then run a knife around the edges to loosen and turn them onto a wire rack.
  • Add the softened cream cheese and butter to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
  • Add the powdered sugar gradually and mix on low speed until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
  • Frost the cake only after the cake layers have cooled completely.

Notes

  • Do not overmix the cake batter or overbake the cake. Overbaking the cake for even a minute can cause it to dry out.
  • Use room-temperature eggs and buttermilk for even baking. 
  • Use softened butter and cream cheese for a silky-smooth frosting.
  • It's crucial that you allow the cake to cool completely before frosting otherwise the frosting will melt and run all over the place.

Nutrition

Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 395mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 391IU | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg