Description
A rich, moist Red Velvet Buttermilk Cake with a soft crumb, tangy flavor, and smooth cream cheese frosting—perfect for birthdays or holidays.
Ingredients
For the cake:
2¼ cups (338 g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (35 g) corn starch
2 tbsp (16 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
½ tsp (3 g) salt
1 cup (250 mL) canola oil
125 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1½ cups (360 g) caster or superfine sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp (5 mL) white vinegar
1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk
2 tsp (10 g) vanilla extract
2 tbsp (40 mL) red food colouring
For the frosting:
125 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
250 g (1 cup) cream cheese, room temperature
4 cups (560 g) powdered sugar
2 tbsp (40 mL) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 g) vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 160°C fan-forced (180°C conventional). Grease and line two 20 cm (8-inch) round pans.
2. Sift flour, corn starch, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl.
3. In another bowl, whisk oil, melted butter, sugar, eggs, vinegar, buttermilk, vanilla, and red colouring.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients gently until smooth. Do not overmix.
5. Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for 35–40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
6. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then move to wire rack to cool completely.
7. For frosting, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until pale and creamy.
8. Level cake tops if needed. Spread frosting between layers, then frost top and sides.
9. Chill for 1–2 hours before serving.
Notes
Use only real buttermilk for best texture.
Substitute white vinegar with apple cider vinegar if needed.
Use high-quality red food colouring for a deep hue.
Do not use olive or avocado oil.
Cakes may not brown on top; test with a skewer.
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze unfrosted layers for 6 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12 of cake
- Calories: 775
- Sugar: 69.4 g
- Sodium: 336.4 mg
- Fat: 44.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 16.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 91.9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5.7 g
- Cholesterol: 97.5 mg