A southern classic, red velvet cake is now just as loved the world over as a wonderfully romantic choice for a wedding cake. Traditionally frosted with ermine buttercream, its now even more popular with cream cheese frosting although we find it hard to decide which is our favorite combo here at Cake Geek! (See our Frostings & Fillings page here for both recipes.)
There are two sets of red velvet cake recipes below. The first set makes two x 2″ deep cakes for each tier, while the second set is for two x 3″ deep cakes for each tier, depending on how tall you want the tiers to be.
(Note: We would highly recommend using baking strips on your cake pans when going into the oven also. This prevents your cake from “doming” in the middle which has to be cut off before filling and frosting your cakes leading to a lot of wastage and your cake tiers being flatter as a result. They are well worth the investment but if you are in a pinch you can use old towels soaked in water and wrapped around your cake pans before putting them in the oven.
(Canola oil can be substituted with vegetable oil in this recipe.)
Red Velvet Wedding Cake Recipe/Recipes for Different Pan Sizes (2 pans x 2″ deep)
| Cups | 6" | 7" | 8" | 9" | 10" | 11" | 12" | 13" | 14" |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 1 | 1 1/2 | 1 7/8 | 2 1/2 | 3 | 3 5/8 | 4 3/8 | 5 | 6 |
| Canola Oil | 1 | 1 1/2 | 1 78 | 2 1/2 | 3 | 3 5/8 | 4 3/8 | 5 | 6 |
| Eggs | 3/8 | 1/2 | 5/8 | 3/4 | 1 | 1 1/4 | 1 1/2 | 1 3/4 | 2 |
| Vanilla | 1 | 1 | 1 1/2 | 1 1/2 | 2 | 2 1/2 | 3 | 3 1/2 | 4 |
| Red gel coloring (tsp) | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 3/4 | 1 | 1 | 1 1/4 | 1 1/2 |
| Cake Flour | 1 3/4 | 2 1/2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 1/4 | 8 1/2 | 9 7/8 |
| Cocoa Powder | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp | 2 tbsp | 2 tbsp + 2 tps | 3 tbsp | 1/4 cup | 5 tbsp. + 1 tps | 6 tbsp | 7 tbsp | 1/2 cup |
| Salt (tsp) | 1 | 1 | 1 1/2 | 1 1/2 | 2 | 2.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 |
| Low Fat Buttermilk | 3/4 | 1 | 1 1/4 | 1 5/8 | 2 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 3/8 | 4 |
| Baking Soda | 3/8 | 1/2 | 5/8 | 3/4 | 1 | 1 1/4 | 1 1/2 | 1 3/4 | 2 |
| White Vinegar (tsp) | 1 3/8 | 2 | 2 1/2 | 3 1/4 | 4 | 1 1/2 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 2 1/4 tbsp | 2 1/2 tbsp |
| Temp | 350 F | 350 F | 350 F | 350 F | 325 F | 325 F | 325 F | 325 F | 325 F |
| Baking Time | 25-30 | 25-30 | 30-35 | 30-35 | 35-40 | 35-40 | 40-45 | 40-45 | 45-50 |
Red Velvet Wedding Cake Recipe/Recipes for Different Pan Sizes (2 pans x 3″ deep)
| Cups | 6" | 7" | 8" | 9" | 10" | 11" | 12" | 13" | 14" |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 1 5/8 | 2 1/4 | 2 7/8 | 3 5/8 | 4 1/2 | 5 3/8 | 6 1/2 | 7 5/8 | 8 7/8 |
| Canola Oil | 1 5/8 | 2 1/4 | 2 7/8 | 3 5/8 | 4 1/2 | 5 3/8 | 6 1/2 | 7 5/8 | 8 7/8 |
| Eggs | 1/2 | 3/4 | 1 | 1 1/4 | 1 1/2 | 1 3/4 | 2 1/8 | 2 1/2 | 3 |
| Vanilla (tsp) | 1 | 1 1/2 | 2 | 2 1/2 | 3 | 3 1/2 | 4 1/2 | 5 | 6 |
| Red gel color (tsp) | 1/2 | 1/2 | 3/4 | 1 | 1 | 1 1/3 | 1 1/2 | 1 3/4 | 2 |
| Cake Flour | 2 3/4 | 3 5/8 | 4 7/8 | 6 | 9 | 10 7/8 | 12 3/4 | 14 7/8 | |
| Cocoa Powder | 1/8 | 3 tbsp | 1/4 | 1/3 | 3/8 | 7 tbsp | 1/2 | 5/8 | 3/4 |
| Salt | 1 | 1 1/2 | 2 | 2 1/2 | 3 | 3 1/2 | 4 1/4 | 5 | 6 |
| Low Fat Buttermilk | 1 | 1 1/2 | 2 | 2 1/2 | 3 | 3 1/2 | 4 3/8 | 5 | 6 |
| Baking Soda | 1/2 | 3/4 | 1 | 1 1/4 | 1 1/2 | 1 3/4 | 2 1/4 | 2 1/2 | 3 |
| White Vinegar (tsp) | 2 1/4 | 3 | 3 3/4 | 4 3/4 | 6 | 7 | 2 tbsp + 2.5 tsp | 3 tbsp +1.25 tsp | 4 tbsp |
| Temp. | 350 F | 350 F | 350 F | 350 F | 325 F | 325 F | 325 F | 325 F | 325 F |
| Baking Time | 30-35 | 35-40 | 40-45 | 45-50 | 50-55 | 55-60 | 60-65 | 65-70 | 70-75 |
Red Velvet Cake: Method
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease and line your cake pans.
- Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar and combine.
- In a jug, mix the eggs, oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, red gel color and vinegar.
- Pour the wet ingredients slowly into the dry ingredients while mixing.
- Pour the batter into the cake pans and bake for the required time.
- Oven temperatures/baking vary considerably so check the cakes five minutes before they due to be finished in the oven. If they are baked, a cocktail stick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean, i.e. without any cake batter attached to it other than a few baked crumbs.
- Leave the cakes to cool in the pans for 20-30 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack.
- Ensure they are completely cool through before filling/frosting.
Back to Wedding Cake Recipes & Cake Recipes for Different Size Pans page