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