Recipe For Classic Red Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Icing

The red velvet cake recipe that you’ve been looking for!  This classic dessert is the perfect addition to your Christmas dessert menu.

Some recipes are just meant to be special and this one for classic red velvet cake is it!  Whether you’re making a dessert for a special holiday gathering, Valentine’s Day or just to enjoy whenever the urge strikes, this is a recipe that you’ll return to time after time.

For me, it’s a recipe that I prepare annually, for our family Christmas party.  It’s one of the things “required” to be on the menu, if you know what I mean.  Other dishes can come and go, but the red velvet cake must be there!

The pecans are totally optional, but our family loves these southern morsels of goodness!  I usually add a ring of them around the top of the cake for an embellishment and because, well…pecans.  WinkWink

I was surprised by the location of a couple of the pecans when I cut this slice.  I guess they were a part of the icing between the layers and I just happened to cut where they were located.

5 from 1 vote

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Classic Red Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

This classic recipe is a holiday and special occasion favorite! Delicious and special - it's a recipe that you'll return to time after time.

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable or canola oil
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup two 1-ounce bottles red food coloring
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 2 large eggs

FOR THE FROSTING

• 1/3 pound 1 1/3 sticks butter, softened to room temperature
• 10 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
• 1 pound confectioner's sugar
• 2 cups chopped pecans optional

Instructions

TO MAKE THE CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix together all ingredients with an electric mixer. No sifting of dry ingredients is necessary.
3. Spray three 9-inch round cake pans well with nonstick spray.
4. Pour batter equally into the three pans and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
5. Cool layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.
6. Carefully remove layers from the pans and leave on the racks to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING

1. Combine butter, cream cheese and confectioner's sugar in a bowl.
2. Beat until fluffy, then fold in 1 1/2 cups of the pecans.
3. Frost the cake when completely cooled.
4. Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining 1/2 cup of pecans.
5. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Recipe Notes

Do not substitute margarine for the butter.
Do not use low fat cream cheese.
Pecans are optional.

One of the best things about this cake, besides the delicious flavor, is that it’s basically a measure, dump and mix recipe.  No sifting of the dry ingredients is required and no flouring of cakes pans either!  Enjoy, my friends!