Decadent Red Velvet Cake Recipe by Bobby Flay

Red velvet cake represents a luxurious dessert that captures hearts with its vibrant crimson hue and rich, velvety texture.

Signature hints of cocoa dance beneath the surface, creating a tantalizing contrast that makes this confection irresistible.

Southern bakers first crafted this decadent treat, transforming simple ingredients into a culinary masterpiece that whispers elegance.

Delicate crumbs melt on your tongue, delivering a sublime balance of sweetness and subtle tang.

Cream cheese frosting crowns this classic cake, elevating its charm with smooth, luscious peaks.

Modern interpretations honor traditional techniques while introducing contemporary twists that surprise and delight.

A Comprehensive Guide to Bobby Flay Red Velvet Cake

Step 1: Prepare Baking Setup

Warm the oven to 350°F. Grease 2 cake pans (9-inch) with butter, dust with flour, and line bottoms with parchment paper.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Cocoa powder
• Baking soda
• Salt

Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar

• Softened butter
• Granulated sugar
• Vegetable oil

Mix until light and fluffy.

Step 4: Add Wet Ingredients

• Eggs (add one at a time)
• Vanilla extract
• Red wine vinegar
• Red food coloring

Scrape bowl sides while mixing.

Step 5: Combine Batter

• Flour mixture
• Buttermilk

Start and end with flour mixture. Mix until just combined.

Step 6: Bake Cake

Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake 30-40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 15 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

Step 7: Create Cream Filling

• Heavy cream
• Whole milk
• Vanilla bean
• Vanilla bean seeds

Stir constantly, remove vanilla bean.

Step 8: Thicken Filling

• Flour
• Powdered sugar

Gradually add to hot milk mixture.

Step 9: Cool Filling

Cook mixture until pudding-like. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature. Refrigerate 2 hours until very cold.

Step 10: Finish Frosting

• Beat room temperature butter until creamy
• Gradually add chilled pudding mixture
• Beat until light and fluffy

Insider Tips for Bobby Flay Red Velvet Cake

• Prevent Batter Separation: Pour buttermilk slowly into the mixture to maintain silky smoothness.
• Temperature Matters: Allow eggs, butter, and buttermilk to warm to room temperature for seamless blending.
• Cocoa Customization: Experiment with natural cocoa powder, tweaking recipe's acidity for unique flavor profiles.
• Sifting Secrets: Thoroughly sift dry ingredients to eliminate lumps and create a velvety-smooth texture.
• Color Brilliance: Select liquid red food coloring for the most vibrant, consistent cake appearance.

Clever Storage Ideas for Bobby Flay Red Velvet Cake

• Cake Keeper Method: Transfer cooled cake to a specialized cake carrier with a tight-sealing lid. Protect the delicate cream cheese frosting from absorbing other refrigerator odors while maintaining moisture and freshness.
• Wrapping Technique: Loosely cover cake with plastic wrap before placing in container, creating a protective barrier that prevents frosting from sticking and preserves texture. Wrap individual slices separately for easy grab-and-go portions.
• Freezer Preservation: Slice cake before freezing, then wrap each piece in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Label with date and contents, ensuring maximum flavor retention for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator for best results, allowing cake to gradually return to room temperature without compromising its delicate crumb structure.

Innovative Variations for Bobby Flay Red Velvet Cake

• Wine-Infused Velvet: Replace red food coloring with a bold red wine reduction for deeper flavor and natural color intensity.
• Chocolate Cherry Variation: Incorporate cherry liqueur and fold in chopped dark chocolate chips for a rich, sophisticated profile.
• Nutty Southern Style: Mix in finely ground pecans or walnuts to the batter and sprinkle toasted nuts between cake layers for added crunch and warmth.
• Cream Cheese Caramel Remix: Swirl salted caramel sauce through the cream cheese frosting and drizzle extra caramel between cake layers for decadent sweetness.

A Delicious Closure for Bobby Flay Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake Perfection: Culinary Artistry Unleashed!

Bobby Flay’s legendary recipe transforms ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary dessert masterpiece.

Rich crimson layers whisper tales of Southern charm and sophisticated baking prowess.

Cream cheese frosting creates silky waves of indulgence across each delectable slice.

Restaurant-quality results await passionate home bakers ready to elevate their dessert game.

Sweet memories dance between layers of this classic cake, promising pure deliciousness.

Passionate bakers: dive into this recipe, snap your creation, share the delectable journey on social media, and let culinary magic spark conversations that connect sweet souls everywhere!

Savor the Decadence of Bobby Flay Red Velvet Cake

• Indulge in Luxurious Layers: Bobby Flay's red velvet cake delivers a sophisticated dessert experience with its rich, velvety texture and stunning deep red color that creates a visual and gustatory masterpiece.
• Master a Gourmet Technique: The recipe showcases professional baking methods like using precise ingredient measurements, alternating wet and dry ingredients, and creating a unique vanilla bean pudding frosting that elevates home baking skills.
• Enjoy a Decadent Flavor Profile: The combination of red wine vinegar, cocoa powder, and vibrant red food coloring creates a complex, slightly tangy cake with a deep chocolate undertone that sets this recipe apart from traditional red velvet cakes.
• Impress with Minimal Effort: Despite looking complicated, this cake requires standard baking tools and techniques, making it accessible for home bakers who want to create a restaurant-quality dessert that looks and tastes professionally crafted.

Key Ingredients for Bobby Flay Red Velvet Cake

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and stability for the cake's texture.
• Cocoa Powder: Adds rich chocolate flavor and deep color to the red velvet cake.
• Baking Soda: Essential leavening agent that helps the cake rise and become light.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances the sweetness.

• Butter: Adds richness and creates a smooth, tender cake crumb.
• Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps with cake's texture.
• Vegetable Oil: Ensures moisture and softness in the cake.
• Eggs: Bind ingredients together and add structure.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds depth of flavor and aroma.
• Red Wine Vinegar: Helps activate baking soda and adds subtle tanginess.
• Red Food Coloring: Creates the signature bright red color of red velvet cake.
• Buttermilk: Adds moisture and helps create a tender cake texture.

• Heavy Cream: Creates a rich and creamy base for the frosting.
• Whole Milk: Adds smoothness and helps create pudding-like consistency.
• Vanilla Bean: Provides intense, natural vanilla flavor.
• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
• Room Temperature Butter: Creates a creamy, spreadable frosting base.

Bobby Flay Red Velvet Cake Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.8 from 32 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 12 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Bobby Flay’s Red Velvet Cake delivers Southern charm with luxurious cream cheese frosting and rich cocoa undertones. Crimson layers of moist cake promise indulgence that will transport you to a classic dessert experience with pure culinary delight.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dry Ingredients:

• 3 ¾ cups (470 grams) all-purpose flour
• 7 tablespoons (55 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 12 tablespoons (170 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 sticks (340 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup (180 milliliters) vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 1 ½ cups (360 milliliters) buttermilk, at room temperature
• ½ cup (120 milliliters) heavy cream
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) whole milk
• ½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

Sugar and Sweeteners:

• 2 ¼ cups (450 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 ½ cups (180 grams) powdered sugar

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Prepare two 9-inch (23-centimeter) cake pans by buttering the surfaces, dusting with flour, and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
2. Sift together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl, ensuring no lumps remain.
3. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil until the mixture becomes pale and voluminous, approximately 3-4 minutes.
4. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, thoroughly mixing after each addition. Scrape down the bowl’s sides to ensure even distribution.
5. Mix in the vanilla extract, red wine vinegar, and red food coloring until the batter achieves a uniform crimson color.
6. Alternately add the dry flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix gently until just combined to prevent overmixing.
7. Evenly distribute the batter between the prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center – it should come out clean.
9. Remove cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. For the frosting, combine heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla bean, and scraped seeds in a saucepan. Heat over medium-high temperature, stirring continuously until hot but not boiling.
11. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and powdered sugar, then gradually incorporate into the hot milk mixture.
12. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it thickens to a pudding-like consistency. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
13. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
14. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the room temperature butter until creamy and smooth.
15. Gradually add the chilled pudding mixture to the butter, beating until the frosting becomes light, fluffy, and spreadable.

Notes

• Deep red color comes from carefully measured food coloring drops.
• Smooth texture depends on meticulously sifting flour, cocoa, and other dry ingredients together.
• Room temperature ingredients blend seamlessly, creating a velvety cake batter without lumps.
• Buttermilk should be incorporated slowly to prevent separation and maintain silky consistency.
• Experiment with natural cocoa powder for a slightly different flavor profile and color intensity.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 460 kcal
• Sugar: 38 g
• Sodium: 320 mg
• Fat: 24 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 57 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 70 mg