Red Velvet Cocoa Cake (Printable version)

Velvety cocoa cake with tangy notes and creamy cheese topping, perfect for celebrations and gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
09 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
11 - 1 ounce red food coloring
12 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

13 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
15 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
17 - Pinch of salt

# Step-by-step guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
02 - Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
03 - Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
04 - Incorporate vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and white vinegar into the mixture.
05 - Combine buttermilk with red food coloring in a small bowl.
06 - Add dry ingredients to the wet batter in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with dry. Mix until just blended to avoid overmixing.
07 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake for 28 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, beating until fluffy.
10 - Once cakes are fully cooled, spread frosting between layers and cover top and sides evenly.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's surprisingly moist and tender, not dry like some cake recipes can be.
  • The cream cheese frosting strikes that perfect balance between tangy and sweet that keeps you reaching for another slice.
  • It looks stunning on the table, and people always assume it's more complicated than it actually is.
02 -
  • All your ingredients need to be at room temperature—especially the eggs, buttermilk, cream cheese, and butter—because cold ingredients don't incorporate smoothly and can create a separated or lumpy batter.
  • Don't overmix once you add the dry ingredients; overmixing develops gluten and creates a dense, tough cake instead of that signature velvety crumb you're after.
  • Gel food coloring is genuinely worth the small investment because it won't thin out your batter the way liquid coloring does.
03 -
  • Use an oven thermometer to verify your actual oven temperature; so many ovens run hot or cold, and precise temperature is crucial for even baking.
  • Invest in gel food coloring—it changes everything about how this cake looks and prevents your batter from becoming too thin.
  • Make sure your cooling racks sit flat and level so the cakes cool evenly without tilting or developing weird angles.
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