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Grandma's Red Velvet Cake

This recipe guides you through baking a classic Red Velvet Cake from scratch. It features a rich, moist cake with a vibrant red hue, complemented by a unique, velvety cooked flour frosting. The cake is baked in a sheet pan, then cleverly cut into quarters and stacked, making for an impressive dessert perfect for gatherings or special occasions.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 10 people
Calories 8294.7 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Stand Mixer with paddle attachment
  • 1 Sheet Pan
  • 1 Medium Saucepan
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Offset Spatula

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 sticks butter room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 ounces red food coloring
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • Pinch salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • Butter for pan
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar, until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, make a paste out of the red food coloring, cocoa and salt. Remove bowl from stand mixer and mix in paste by hand to the creamed butter. In a measuring cup, stir eggs with buttermilk and add to batter. Mix in vinegar and vanilla, and then add flour and baking soda. Mix until combined but do not over mix.
  • Butter a sheet pan. Lay parchment on top. Butter the parchment. Pour batter into pan and smooth the top to even the batter out, using an offset spatula. Bake cake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan.
  • Meanwhile, make the frosting: Heat all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Whisk until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before using.
  • Invert cake onto a cutting board and slice into quarters from the longer side. To assemble cake, spread 1 of the quarters with some of the frosting to cover. Sprinkle with a quarter of the pecans. Add another layer of cake and repeat. Continue until last layer is added. Frost the top of that and sprinkle with remaining pecans.

Notes

Achieving the signature moist crumb of red velvet cake relies on not overmixing the batter once the flour is added; overworking gluten leads to a tough cake. Ensure all cold ingredients like butter, eggs, and buttermilk are at true room temperature for optimal emulsification and a light, airy texture. For the unique cooked flour frosting, it's paramount that the flour-milk mixture is completely cooled before beating in the butter; otherwise, the frosting will separate and be soupy. While the recipe suggests assembling quarters, traditional round layers can be achieved by baking in two 8-inch round cake pans for a more classic presentation. The pecans add a delightful crunch, but ensure they are fresh for best flavor. This recipe yields a generous cake, perfect for a crowd.