Red Velvet Cocoa Cake (Printable Version)

A moist, velvety Southern-style cake featuring cocoa and cream cheese frosting, ideal for celebrations.

# 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

# How-To:

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 - In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
04 - Mix in vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and white vinegar until combined.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and red food coloring.
06 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture in three parts, alternating with buttermilk mixture; start and end with dry ingredients. Mix just until combined to avoid overmixing.
07 - Divide batter evenly between 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 together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt; continue beating until light and fluffy.
10 - Once cakes are fully cooled, spread frosting between layers and cover the top and sides evenly.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cocoa and vinegar create this subtle tang that nobody expects but everyone tastes.
  • The frosting is thick and spreadable without being overly sweet, so you actually want another slice.
  • It looks showstopping but bakes in under an hour, so you can pull off something impressive on a weeknight.
02 -
  • Room-temperature ingredients are non-negotiable—cold eggs and butter won't combine smoothly, and your frosting will break if the cream cheese is cold.
  • Do not overmix the batter once you've added the dry ingredients, or the cake will be dense and tough.
  • The frosting needs to be thick enough to hold up, so if you're melting like it, let the pan cakes cool completely before frosting, or chill the frosting for 15 minutes first.
03 -
  • Use gel food coloring instead of liquid if you want a deeper red shade without adding extra moisture that throws off the recipe.
  • If your kitchen is warm, chill the mixing bowl and beaters before creaming the butter and sugar—this prevents the batter from becoming greasy.
Go Back