Hey!
Lookin’ a little different ’round here! I am still working out some kinks and trying to get the blog more organized, but a HUGE thanks goes out to Seth from Boy Meets Food for jazzing my site up.
I know you must be thinking… ‘another boring red velvet cake recipe?’
Not quite.
I can assure you that is one of the best red velvet cakes I have ever had. In fact, it is the best. And it is pretty simple, too.
This recipe comes from a family friend who is famous for this red velvet cake. We have dubbed her ‘Pretty Patty,’ because . . . well, she is gorgeous and just the sweetest soul. She is also an incredible baker. She is probably one of the people who has influenced my love of baking.
She has made this cake for all of our birthdays, graduation parties, and other spectacular events. ‘Round these parts, our graduation parties were larger than my wedding. Which was large.
Does that make us trashy? Maybe. But we know how to party.
I love the color of the batter. It compliments my love of glitter and sparkles.
I guess it could also make me appear flaky and immature. Either way, pink batter makes me happy. And it stains my hands.
My first 3 attempts at this cake failed miserably. It was actually pretty humorous – one day I will share the photos. Luckly, I have learned to calm my drama-queen attitude down.
I now leave the drama queen behavior up to my husband. He has mastered that art.
I used 2 mini cake pans – about 4 inches around. This way, we had a cute, tiny cake to eat, and I was able to fit into my pants the next few days. Thank goodness for small pans.
5 layers of pure deliciousness. Amazing…
Cream cheese frosting is the only icing that I truly love. I don’t think a red velvet cake is complete without cream cheese frosting.
Neither is my life. That’s why I eat it so often.
My friend, Caitlin, has never had red velvet cake. Caitlin, this is a sin. Come over now so I can fatten you up.
Red Velvet Cake
3/4 cup shortening
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 tablespoon cocoa
3 tablespoon red food coloring
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/3 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoon vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour cake pan/pans.
Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs. Slowly add cocoa and food coloring. Soft together cake flour and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk beginning and ending with flour. Add in vanilla and beat for 2 minutes.
Mix baking soda and vinegar together. Add and stir until combined.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
3-8oz blocks of cream cheese
1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
~ 16 oz powdered sugar (1 bag)
Cream butter and cream cheese. Add in vanilla. Gradually stir in powdered sugar until the frosting reaches desired consistency.
This cake is moist and full of light flavor. Sure, red velvet cake may just be good ‘old chocolate cake, but I love complicating things.
I guess I still have a little diva left in me.
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I am obsessed with red velvet cake. I was SO close to buying a red velvet cupcake the other night, but figured since I was already buying 2, I’d try it another day.
Cream cheese frosting is the absolute best!
WHOA I LOVE YOUR SITE!! and your pics of yourself are beautiful! where have you been hiding?!?!
this cake looks almost as godo as your new blog LOL
just kidding it IS as good!! cream cheese frosting to me is pure foodgasm. I love it on anything and its so dangerous I could eat a whole tub of the stuff!
now come over and bring me a slice??
Oh wow…your new site looks fantastic! Love it!
I have a confession – I have never tried red velvete cake either
I love the new look! My friend’s b-day is in March and she loves Red Velvet–I’ll have to make this for her!!!
I can’t be on the right site…I can be…*screams* I AM! Omgosh, it looks great! The cake and the new blog look.
Especially if you like pink. 
Pink’s okay for me as long as it’s not on me. Too girly for me. 
K, obvi not the first to comment but I really LOVE the layout.. it looks so bright and totally professional!!
LOOOOOVE the new look. I really need to do something about my blog…
That cake looks amazing. Red Velvet is one of my faves, and that sucker is a mile high!
Your new look is so gorgeous!! Very sweet and girly!!
Love it!!
Your cake is so gorgeous!! I lurve red velvet.
The site looks beautiful! And wow that cake looks incredible. I’ve never had red velvet before and it is so pretty! Did you ever see Steel Magnolias when they have that Armadillo cake with the red velvet inside? Hilarious!
LOVE the site girl! So professional and cute! I’m wondering those words should be used together
The cake looks awesome too!
Love the new site. The cake looks amazing.
OMG red velvet cake is my FAVORITE! Yum! Thanks for sharing, and I think having multiple levels is genious, more of that delicious icing
Love the new look! Looks great! (The cake looks amazing, too!! Can’t wait to try the recipe out!)
I love the red velvet recipes. I’m planning on making the red velvet cookies for my kids cooking class next week – they were already excited when I mentioned it!
Oh my goodness, your new layout looks AMAZING! Seriously! I absolutely loveeee me some cupcakes
And red velvet cake?! Girl, you are quickly becoming one of my favorite blogs =)
The first time I had red velvet cake was about 8 years ago. Not a huge cake flavor in New England. I was in love at first bite!
Jess – blog looks amazing! Great “face lift”!
I love the new look!!! I wish I could get a new look for my blog – but I am so technology stupid, I don’t even know where to start.
I have never tried red velvet cake either
I guess that better go on my to-do list!
Holy smokes! FIVE layers of red velvet! That is awesome
You make the most beautiful desserts! I always wondered why red velvet cakes tasted so much better than regular.. I still don’t know to be honest! haha.
And I’d love more information on carb cycling! How long should you do it for the benefits? And what does a typical carb up day look like?
i lovee red velvet cake- looks delicious! andd your new format is great
Your site looks great… Love the red velvet cake, too. Gorgeous!
Yum. I want some of that ASAP!
I LOVE the new look!! Your glamour shot on the right is pretty gorgey too.
Red velvet cake looks AMAZING! I love all those layers!
wooow-wooow-wooow
that’s awesome!!!
I love that cake!!!We don’t make it in Greece, but I think it is a lovely birthday idea!!! And the site is super!!!!Thanks for sharing. Greetings from Greece!!!!Eva
Seth did a TERRIFIC job!!! your new layout looks STUNNING! I love it, Jessica!
Your red velvet cake reminded me of the whoopie pie I had!
Num, Num, Num!
LOVE the new look…it’s wonderful! Congrats! The red velvet looks to die for, too!
Oooh, ain’t nothin wrong with loving pink cake batter! red velvet is one of my faves…oh who am I kidding, CAKE in general is one of my faves, especially with lots of yummy frosting! I love the new look–it seems very “you.” I saw on April’s comments that you had tried carb cycling before. I am very curious to know how it worked for you and how you implemented it into your diet. I am not sure if I’m going to do it myself, but I think the concept is very interesting! Thanks lady! xoxo
The new site looks great – as does that cake!!!
yumm! this is my FAV kind of cake ever!! ..well besides ice cream cake or cookie cake
Wow does that look good, and so very RED – gorgeous! Your site is looking super cute too!!
Love the new layout! I’m also a sinner and have never tried red velvet cake before. Must make some asap!!
The blog makeover looks great! So unique and eye-catching. And looking at cupcakes always makes me happy
I only “discovered” red velvet cake about a year ago, when I finally tried some at Christmas. It was love at first bite. I have heard they can be tricky to make at home, something about the vinegar being difficult to work with? Anyway, your photos are gorgeous. I probably won’t try this at home (red food die + my poor baking skills = asking for trouble), you can invite me over to be your sampler any day
Jessica, thanks for this recipe. I’ve been long searching for a good red velvet recipe. I so can’t wait to try this. This would be perfect!
My husband is a huge fan of red velvet cake, but I haven’t been able to eat it for years. It’s all the fault of one of my dad’s patients. She was the sweetest little old lady and she made him a Christmas Tree shaped cake one year when I was in elementary school. It looked so pretty, and then we all had some and it just REEKED of cigarette smoke. Yuck! We had to throw it out, and I’ve never had any since then! But perhaps I should try it again…
Thank you, I went to the website and it’s great.
Jessica, I am just wondering how many pans this red velvet cake batter would fill if I used a rectangle 9×13 pan? How long would I bake it? Did you try it like that at all?
I don’t have mini round pans, but I really want to make this cake!!
Jolene
Could this be turned into cupcakes?? Yum…
Yes!
oooo i definitely want to try this recipe!!
would you need to double it for a standard 8 or 9″ pan?
Hello,
I really want to try this recipe and I’m a novice when it comes to baking, how did you make this cake exactly? Did you bake a few pans worth of the batter to layer it then between the layers apply the icing? Thanks!
Hi!
Do you know approximately how many people this recipe “feeds”? I was pointed towards this recipe from Jenna at eatliverun when I asked for a red velvet recipe. It looks delish! I’m going to need to make it bigger though, can I just double or even triple the recipe? Or would anything not be completely doubled?
Thanks!
Hi Jen! You should be able to get 2 8-inch cakes out of that recipe, but I would probably go with a 9 x 13 cake pan and frost it. I think you may get more out of it that way. I honestly can’t say if you should try doubling it. Red velvet can be very tricky with the whole vinegar, baking soda thing. Do you have time to do a trial run before you make it? How many are you looking to feed? I’d say in a 9 x 13 pan this would probably feed 10-12? Depending on how you cut the slices.
Thanks so much for your quick response! I think I may try making two separate batches, and making two 9 x 13 cakes & then layering them. The vinegar/baking soda thing does scare me a little. ha. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Good luck! Just be really patient and take your time. This recipe has been passed down through my family for years so I know it works 100%, though sometimes I still have a major red velvet fail. Let me know!
one last question! What type of vinegar do you use? I’m assuming just white vinegar?
yes – white!
I’ve now made this cake twice and i ADORE it!! So delicious – and a HUGE hit! When you say “shortening” I assume you do in fact mean Crisco. Can I use butter instead?
how can i convert this recipe into cupcakes? thanks!!
You can just make it and put it in cupcake tins… it should make about 24 I think? I would cook for 18-22 minutes, but that will depend on your oven, so check after 18-20.
AMAZING!!! After many failed attempts at baking this cake, I figured I’ed give it one last try. I looked over at my husband and said “babe if this one doesn’t come out right I’m done, I’ll never try it again!” So as I jump up and down in my kitchen.. I did it & It came out perfect!!! Thank you so much for the recipe Jessica & thanks to Pretty Patty for sharing it with you!! <3
What kind of food coloring do you use?
I’m making a 3-layer cake and worried that the frosting isn’t sturdy enough to hold it up. What is your experience with this?
If you find that it isn’t sturdy enough, just add more powdered sugar to thicken it up!
can i replace the shortening with veg oil?? and what is the measurement
I can’t say as I’ve never tried it, but I would not suggest doing that. I would think the texture would be completely different and red velvet cake is pretty finicky to make to begin with.
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