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Black Folks Southern Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Southern Red Velvet Cake

Southern red velvet cake is a slice of pure indulgence! Smooth, rich, and unforgettable. Imagine sinking your fork into a soft, velvety crumb that’s moist and tender, with the slightest hint of cocoa teasing your taste buds.
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Making the frosting: 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Soul Food, Southern Food
Servings: 12
Calories: 445kcal
Author: Shaunda Necole

Equipment

  • Stand mixer or handheld electric mixer
  • Baker’s cooling rack
  • Cake scraper (optional for ease in frosting a layered cake)

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar granulated
  • ⅓ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅓ cup butter softened
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • 3 eggs
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar white
  • 4 tablespoons food coloring red (liquid or gel)

For the frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened or whipped cream cheese
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Instructions for the cake

  • *To make a layered red velvet cake, bake at least two cakes for the layers.
  • Grease a cake pan and set it aside.
  • Starting with the wet ingredients, combine the buttermilk and vinegar in a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir, and set aside.
  • In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring well to blend, and set aside.
  • Mix the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until creamy.
  • Add the vegetable oil and mix again.
  • Add the eggs one by one, beating each one into the butter mixture.
  • Then add the mayonnaise and sour cream and mix again.
  • Add the red food coloring and mix gently to achieve a batter with an intense red color.
  • Next, pour in the vinegar and buttermilk mixture into the red batter.
  • Gradually pour in the flour mixture that was set aside.
  • Mix until all ingredients are absorbed into the batter, and the mixture is uniform.
  • Pour the batter into the greased pan.
  • Bake the red velvet cake at 350 degrees F for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. 
  • Set the cake pan on a baking rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. 
  • Then, carefully turn the cake out of the pan and onto the cooling rack.
  • Allow the Southern red velvet cake to cool to room temperature for at least 2 hours before frosting. 

Instructions for the cream cheese frosting

  • *Refer to the notes below for my tips on frosting and assembling a layered cake, as well as decorating it with a crumb coating.
  • Add the cream cheese to a large mixing bowl.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed for 2 minutes.
  • Turn the mixer down to low and add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. 
  • Once the ingredients are combined, turn the mixer up to medium and beat for another 2 minutes.
  • Spread the cream cheese frosting onto the cooled red velvet cake.
  • Optionally, garnish with chopped pecans, crushed pecans, or red velvet cake crumbs.
  • Pro tip: Refrigerating a cake with cream cheese frosting for a few hours will give it a firm texture, making it easy to slice upon serving. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

How to frost and assemble a layered cake
  1. To make a layered red velvet cake, start by baking at least two cake layers. Frost the top of one of the cakes and place it as the bottom layer.
  2. This first layer of frosting will serve as the inner layer for the cake, so remember, a little frosting goes a long way!
  3. Next, stack the second cake on top of the first, inverting it so that the bottom side of this cake is now facing up. This will create a flat surface on the top of your cake.
  4. Finally, frost the entire stacked cake. Use a cake scraper to achieve a smooth and clean frosting coat on the outside of the cake.
Cake decorating tips
  1. Before frosting the cake, trim a thin layer off the bottom and crumble it to create a red velvet cake crumb coating.
  2. After frosting, refrigerate the cake for at least 15 minutes to allow the icing to firm up before applying the final crumb coating.

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 305mg | Potassium: 122mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 449IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1mg
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