Does vinegar go in red velvet cake?

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour three 9 by 1 1/2-inch round cake pans.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.
3. Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.
4. Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
5. Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.
6. Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the Cream Cheese Frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with the pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Yield: enough to frost a 3 layer (9-inch) cake

1. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)
2. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

I’m sharing the Best Red Velvet Cake Recipe today! This is the recipe my mom always used. It’s soft, moist and tender, with the perfect red velvet flavor!

Use my Heritage Frosting (cooked frosting) on this cake for a true southern classic!

Table of Contents

• This Best Red Velvet Cake Recipe you will ever try! 
• But What IS Red Velvet?
• Tips:
• What If You Don’t Have Buttermilk?
• What Kind of Frosting is Best For Red Velvet Cake?
• Can You Make This Recipe Into Cupcakes?
• Looking for more Red Velvet Recipes? 
• Get the Recipe

This Best Red Velvet Cake Recipe you will ever try! 

My mom would always make this velvet red cake cake from scratch on Christmas when I was growing up. I never really thought too much about it, except that it was a “special occasion” cake. She would go to the trouble of making the cake, cooking the frosting, and carefully frosting it. It was a rustic beauty.

But What IS Red Velvet?

We can all see that it’s red…but what makes it “velvet”? I mean, it’s a valid question. 

Simply put it’s a cake made with buttermilk, and in my recipe also a little vinegar to really give it a tender crumb. My recipe also used oil instead of butter, which gives the cake a fluffy texture. 

It also includes a little bit of cocoa powder which gives it a VERY mild chocolate flavor. More like a vanilla buttermilk cake with a hint of chocolate. It’s unique and delicious!

Tips:

1. What kind of food coloring do you need?  I use old school McCormick food coloring, because that’s what my mom used. I know there are all sorts of fancy food dyes out now, with more natural ingredients, so please feel free to use whatever you feel comfortable with. And full disclosure, my mom’s recipe calls for TWO whole bottles of the McCormick’s food coloring, but after testing it out multiple times, I feel like you can achieve a gorgeous color red with just one bottle. The are more potent food dyes out there now where you can probably use even less, but I know almost everyone can find the McCormick’s at their local supermarket, so for ease I write this recipe using that brand. 
2. What size pans do you need? Three 8- inch round cake pans will be perfect. You can also use 9- inch pans if that is what you have, just know your layers will be thinner. You can also bake this in a 9×13 pan if you want to make a single layer cake.
3. Do you really need to use buttermilk AND vinegar? Yep. I find that the combo of the two is what really makes the texture of this cake special.

What If You Don’t Have Buttermilk?

If you find that you don’t have buttermilk and don’t want to run to the store, you can make a buttermilk substitute very easily at home. 

I get the question a lot of you make your own buttermilk with milk and vinegar do you still need to add the extra vinegar the recipe calls for and I say yes!

What Kind of Frosting is Best For Red Velvet Cake?

I know so many of you prefer your red velvet with cream cheese frosting, but I’m ALL about the Heritage Frosting on this cake, that I linked to above! BUT you can also use:

• Cream cheese frosting, which is a classic on Red Velvet Cake!
• Buttercream Frosting, because it’s an easy option for those who don’t want to go to the trouble of Heritage Frosting or don’t like Cream Cheese Frosting
• Chocolate Frosting! It might seem crazy, but chocolate and red velvet go together perfectly!

Can You Make This Recipe Into Cupcakes?

Yes you can! It should make about 36 cupcakes. Fill the liners 2/3 of the way full and bake them at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

When you cut this red velvet cake, you’ll going to be so happy. This cake just does that to your heart! It’s outrageously soft, moist, and has the perfect crumb.

Looking for more Red Velvet Recipes? 

• Red Velvet Popcorn
• Red Velvet Krispie Treats
• Red Velvet Snowball Cookies

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Red Velvet Cake

★★★★★ 4.8 from 77 reviews

• Author: Cookies & Cups
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Yield: serves 12 1x
• Category: Cake
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Dessert

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Description

The Best Red Velvet Cake recipe you will ever make! A family favorite!

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 oz. red food coloring

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 3, 8-inch round pans with nonstick spray. Cut parchment rounds to fit in the bottom of the pans. Place the parchment rounds in the pans and coat again with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment add the oil, eggs, buttermilk, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until combined. Add in the sugar and mix until incorporated.
3. Next add the cocoa powder, salt and baking soda, mixing on medium speed for 30 seconds, or until no lumps remain in the cocoa powder.
4. Turn mixer to low and add in the flour and red food coloring. Mix until smooth, 30 seconds – 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
5. Divide the batter equally into the 3 prepared pans.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Frost as desired.

Notes

I use my recipe for Heritage Frosting on this cake. Please note, if you use my recipe you will need to increase the recipe by 1/2.

You can also use my Buttercream Frosting

Also, if you are not using liquid food coloring, the amount that you will need will change. If you use a gel coloring add until the desired shade of red is reached. I use McCormick’s brand coloring in this cake, as this is what my mom used in her recipe.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 unfrosted slice
• Calories: 475
• Sugar: 33.6 g
• Sodium: 314.9 mg
• Fat: 28.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 53.7 g
• Protein: 3.9 g
• Cholesterol: 31.4 mg

Keywords: red velvet cake, frosting, cake, red velvet, recipe, cream cheese frosting, heritage frosting, springform pan

Why does vinegar go in red velvet?

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