This cake has an oil instead of the butter and is really moist. Red and white colors make an elegant combination. The richness, the textures, and everything is simply too good.

Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1 Tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs 1 cup oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp white distilled vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp red gel food coloring
- For the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and sprinkle with flour two 8 inch cake pans.
Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Add remaining liquid ingredients and stir together with a whisk until blended. Set aside. Place all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together really good. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add together wet ingredients and the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or until completely combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and smooth the top. Bake until the cake is puffed, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to a wire rack and let it cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium-high speed until smooth, light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until thoroughly combined. If the frosting is too soft, refrigerate it until it is spreadable, about 15 minutes.
Spread the cream cheese frosting between and on the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle with crumbs.
Notes
You can substitute natural red food color (made from beets and⁄or hibiscus) for the standard food dye, but the color won’t be nearly as vibrant.


13 Comments
Medeja
December 6, 2012 at 5:46 amWonderful! I just don't know what else to say.. 🙂 It looks snow covered and so lovely!
GB
December 6, 2012 at 12:58 pmIt looks so festive! Love the styling!
thyme Sarah
December 6, 2012 at 1:27 pmJust beautiful! Happy Birthday to you son!
Les
December 6, 2012 at 10:20 pmHi Yelena, looks fabulous, I am sure it tastes fabulous as well. Could you please post how to make our own red coloring from beets?? I have not been having any luck with it!
Marina
December 7, 2012 at 2:14 amHow sweet… Happy birthday to your little boy! I am sure he was very happy to dig in this beautiful cake!
Julia
December 7, 2012 at 9:45 pmYour photos are amazing, dramatic and classy! And Happy Birthday to your son!
Rebecca Subbiah
December 9, 2012 at 4:47 amwow great cake and what a stunning photo, you have so much talent and happy birthday to your wee guy
Nami | Just One Cookbook
December 9, 2012 at 7:30 amHappy Birthday to your son again! And I hope you and your family had a nice celebration for him. 🙂 He's one lucky boy who gets mama's homemade cake for his birthday (don't ask my kids… their mama never made a birthday cake!). So elegant, and the red color is so rich and beautiful.
Rowena Dumlao-Giardina
December 10, 2012 at 12:07 amWhat a perfectly beautiful cake for your son's 7th bday! I love using red too because it is very elegant and vibrant. Love the photos!
Zoe
December 10, 2012 at 12:26 amHappy Birthday to your son!
As always, our cake looks very stylish and beautiful!
Lisa H.
December 11, 2012 at 4:51 amHappy Birthday to the young man 😀
Cake is beautiful 😀
Meli
December 13, 2012 at 7:11 pmHappy birthday to your Precious son, Yelena! You prepared a beautiful cake for him!
Andreea Dianu
February 2, 2013 at 7:08 amGreat cake, but the pictures are gorgeous! Congratulations, my dear!