Easy Red Velvet Cake Recipe: Ina Garten’s Irresistible Classic

Red velvet cake enchants with its luxurious crimson hue and velvety texture that whispers elegance.

Soft, tender crumbs promise a sophisticated dessert experience beyond ordinary baking expectations.

Complex flavors dance between subtle chocolate undertones and smooth cream cheese frosting.

Bakers appreciate its dramatic color and delicate balance of ingredients that transform simple components into something magical.

Sophisticated yet approachable, this classic cake represents comfort and celebration in equal measure.

Subtle cocoa notes complement the cake stunning appearance, making it a showstopper at any gathering.

Rich, moist, and impossibly smooth, you’ll fall in love with every decadent bite: prepare to be amazed.

What Makes Ina Garten’s Red Velvet Cake So Velvety and Delicious

• Indulge in Vibrant Color: The striking red hue makes this cake a showstopper, transforming an ordinary dessert into a visual feast that catches everyone's eye at parties and gatherings.
• Savor Luxurious Texture: Combining buttermilk and vinegar creates an incredibly moist, tender crumb that melts smoothly in your mouth, delivering a velvety soft experience with every bite.
• Whip Up Effortless Elegance: This recipe offers a straightforward method that even novice bakers can master, requiring simple ingredients and basic mixing techniques to produce a professional-looking dessert without complex steps or specialized skills.
• Celebrate Versatile Deliciousness: Perfect for multiple occasions like birthdays, holidays, potlucks, or weekend treats, this red velvet cake brings a touch of classic southern charm that appeals to both kids and adults with its balanced sweetness and rich cream cheese frosting.

Key Ingredients for Ina Garten’s Red Velvet Cake

• Cake Flour: Fine, soft flour crucial for achieving a tender cake texture.
• Cocoa Powder: Provides subtle chocolate undertone and rich color.
• Baking Soda: Essential leavening agent for cake's rise and lightness.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness.

• Butter, White Sugar: Creates a creamy, sweet base for the cake.
• Vegetable Oil: Ensures moisture and softness throughout the cake.
• Eggs: Provides structure and helps bind ingredients together.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, classic flavor depth.
• Red Food Coloring: Gives signature vibrant red color.
• Buttermilk: Adds tanginess and helps activate baking soda.
• White Vinegar: Enhances texture and chemical reaction with baking soda.

• Butter, Cream Cheese: Creates smooth, rich base for frosting.
• Powdered Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps set frosting consistency.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds subtle flavor enhancement.
• Salt: Balances sweetness in frosting.
• Cream: Optional ingredient to adjust frosting texture if needed.

How to Make Ina Garten’s Red Velvet Cake

Step 1: Preheat The Oven

Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to create the perfect baking environment for your cake.

Step 2: Prepare The Baking Pan

• Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan
• Dust lightly with flour to prevent sticking

Step 3: Mix Dry Ingredients

• Cake flour
• Cocoa powder
• Baking soda
• Salt

Whisk thoroughly to blend evenly.

Step 4: Cream Butter And Sugar

• Softened butter
• White sugar

Beat for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.

Step 5: Add Wet Ingredients

• Vegetable oil
• Large room temperature eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Red food coloring

Blend until fully incorporated.

Step 6: Combine Ingredients

• Alternate with buttermilk
• Start and end with dry ingredients
• Mix thoroughly after each addition

Step 7: Add Final Touch

Stir in white vinegar to enhance cake texture.

Step 8: Bake The Cake

• Pour batter into prepared pan
• Bake for 30-35 minutes
• Check doneness with a toothpick (should come out clean)

Step 9: Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat softened butter until creamy.

Step 10: Blend Cream Cheese

Mix in softened cream cheese until smooth.

Step 11: Add Flavor Enhancers

• Vanilla extract
• Salt

Step 12: Create Frosting Sweetness

Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, mixing well.

Step 13: Adjust Frosting Consistency

If needed, add cream to reach spreadable texture.

Step 14: Decorate And Serve

• Allow cake to cool completely
• Spread cream cheese frosting evenly

Pro Tips for Ina Garten’s Red Velvet Cake

• Slice with Precision: Use a serrated knife at room temperature for clean, smooth cake layer edges without crumbling.
• Boost Moisture Magically: White vinegar not only brightens red color but softens cake texture, creating a melt-in-your-mouth experience.
• Create Instant Buttermilk: Mix milk with lemon juice, wait five minutes to develop tangy, rich dairy substitute perfect for tender crumbs.
• Customize Flour Power: Blend all-purpose flour with cornstarch to mimic cake flour's delicate, soft texture without extra shopping.
• Prevent Doming Disasters: Wrap cake pan edges with damp cloth strips to ensure uniform baking and flat cake surfaces.

How to Store Ina Garten’s Red Velvet Cake

• Freezer Method: Protect individual cake slices by wrapping each in plastic wrap, then placing them inside a freezer-safe bag. Freeze up to three months for maximum preservation, ensuring the cake remains moist and delicious when thawed.
• Container Storage: Select an airtight container or tightly wrap the entire cake with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for five days maximum, keeping the cake's texture and flavor intact. Place on a middle shelf away from strong-smelling foods to prevent flavor absorption.
• Room Temperature Tip: Keep unfrosted cake layers at room temperature for 24 hours before decorating. Cover with a clean kitchen towel to prevent dust and maintain moisture. Place on a flat surface in a cool, dry area away from direct sunlight or heat sources.

Creative Twists on Ina Garten’s Red Velvet Cake

• Chocolate Velvet Remix: Replace red food coloring with dark cocoa powder for a rich, deep chocolate version that maintains the cake's signature moist texture.
• Citrus Cream Cheese Celebration: Add orange zest to the frosting and cake batter, creating a bright, tangy flavor profile that complements the creamy base.
• Nutty Southern Style: Fold in chopped pecans to the batter and sprinkle additional chopped nuts on top of the frosting for a crunchy, traditional Southern touch.
• Berry Velvet Transformation: Swirl fresh raspberry or strawberry puree into the batter before baking, adding natural color and a fruity undertone to the classic red velvet recipe.

Ina Garten’s Red Velvet Cake: A Classic with a Luxurious Twist

Culinary magic emerges from Ina Garten’s red velvet cake, blending Southern charm with sophisticated baking technique.

Rich crimson layers whisper classic American dessert traditions with delightful complexity.

Her recipe transforms simple ingredients into an extraordinary sensory experience that lingers beyond initial taste.

Passionate bakers discover nuanced flavor profiles through careful ingredient integration and precise mixing methods.

Sweet cream cheese frosting crowns this remarkable confection with luxurious smoothness.

Sweet-toothed adventurers can elevate their baking skills while creating memories – go ahead, slice into deliciousness, share your masterpiece, spark conversation, and let taste buds dance with pure delight.

Ina Garten Red Velvet Cake Recipe

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4.5 from 12 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s red velvet cake delivers Southern charm with rich cocoa and tangy cream cheese frosting. Elegant layers promise a luxurious dessert experience that delights chocolate and cake enthusiasts with its classic American appeal.

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Ingredients

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Dry Ingredients:

• 2 ⅔ cups (340 grams) cake flour
• 2 tablespoons (10 grams) cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 cup (240 milliliters) vegetable oil
• ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 ½ tablespoons (37 milliliters) red food coloring
• 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) white vinegar
• 1 ¾ cups (350 grams) white sugar

Frosting Ingredients:

• 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) salt
• 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 milliliters) cream, as needed

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Instructions

1. Warm the oven to 350°F (175°C), creating an ideal baking environment for the red velvet cake.
2. Prepare a 9×13 inch (23×33 centimeters) baking pan by thoroughly coating with butter and dusting with flour to prevent adherence.
3. Sift cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl, whisking to distribute ingredients uniformly.
4. Utilize an electric mixer to cream butter and white sugar until the mixture transforms into a light, airy texture, approximately 3-4 minutes.
5. Introduce vegetable oil, room-temperature eggs, vanilla extract, and red food coloring into the butter mixture, blending until completely integrated.
6. Incrementally incorporate dry ingredients into the wet mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Begin and conclude with dry ingredients, ensuring thorough mixing after each addition.
7. Fold in white vinegar, which enhances the cake’s signature tender crumb and subtle tangy undertone.
8. Transfer batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick emerges clean when inserted into the center.
9. Allow cake to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
10. For cream cheese frosting, whip softened butter until smooth and creamy using an electric mixer.
11. Blend in softened cream cheese, creating a uniform, silky consistency.
12. Incorporate vanilla extract and salt, mixing thoroughly to distribute flavors.
13. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, mixing until achieving desired sweetness and smooth texture.
14. If frosting seems too dense, introduce 1-2 tablespoons of cream to reach an ideal spreading consistency.
15. Once cake has cooled entirely, generously spread cream cheese frosting across the surface, optionally garnishing with decorative elements.

Notes

• Master the art of red velvet cake with a recipe that captures Southern baking magic.
• Precise ingredient temperatures transform ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary dessert.
• Vinegar acts as a secret weapon, creating chemical reactions that produce an incredibly light cake texture.
• Electric mixers streamline the mixing process, ensuring a smooth and consistent batter without exhausting arm muscles.
• Sifting dry ingredients guarantees a silky-smooth cake with zero lumpy surprises.
• Buttermilk delivers moisture and a subtle tangy flavor that sets this cake apart from standard chocolate variations.
• Red food coloring brings dramatic visual appeal, transforming an ordinary cake into a showstopping dessert.
• Cream cheese frosting provides the perfect balance of tangy richness that perfectly complements the cake’s deep flavor profile.
• Cooling the cake completely prevents frosting from melting and ensures a professional-looking final presentation.

• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 597 kcal
• Sugar: 49 g
• Sodium: 290 mg
• Fat: 32 g
• Saturated Fat: 15 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 66 g
• Fiber: 0.5 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 90 mg