Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Red velvet cake was the best selling cupcake at every store I visited recently in New York City. But finding the perfect red velvet cake recipe is no easy task as there are so many variations. Some I tried in NY were simply red-coloured vanilla cake with buttercream (which left me wondering what all the fuss was about) but others had a beautiful, unique flavour with rich cream cheese frosting.
If you’ve been searching for a good red velvet cake recipe then you’ll have read about the Waldorf Astoria recipe which has buttermilk and vinegar. I tried that recipe too and it just didn’t have that New York taste (you can read my self guided sweet-tooth tour of NYC here). Finally, after many experiments I discovered that morello sour cherry juice gave the flavour I was after. Here’s my recipe.
Red Velvet Cake Recipe
1 cup minus 2 Tbsp or 150g (5.29 ounces) plain flour
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
3/4 cup or 164g (5.78 ounces) sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp gelatine powder
1/4 cup or 60millilitres (2.03 fluid ounces) oil
4 egg yolks or 60g (2.12 ounces)
1/2 cup or 125millilitres (4.23 fluid ounces) concentrated morello cherry juice (made from 1 cup of juice boiled down)
1 Tbsp or 15ml red food colouring
4 egg whites or 128g (4.52 ounces)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Red Velvet Cake Directions
Preheat the oven to 338°F (170°C)
Boil and concentrate the morello cherry juice form 1 cup down to 1/2 cup and set aside to cool.
Place the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, gelatine, salt and baking powder into a bowl and whisk together.
Make a well in the centre and add the egg yolks, oil, juice and red colouring but do not stir.
Whip the egg whites with the cream of tar tar until soft peaks form.
Using the same beaters mix the egg yolk and flour mixture on low speed until just combined.
Fold in the egg whites into the cake batter in three batches.
Use a soup ladle to fill each cupcake case to 3/4 full
Bake for 11 minutes or until they spring back when lightly touched. Cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe can be found here
Pipe cream cheese frosting onto the top of each cupcake and enjoy.
Makes about 12 cupcakes.
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Would I be able to use an organic tart cherry juice instead of canned cherries. If so, would I still need to concentrate the juice or just use as is?
Hi Hannah, You could use the juice, though it may not be as strong in flavour or colour. You would still need to reduce it as per the recipe.
Hi
can the cakes be frozen?
Hi
Can i make these cakes in advance and freeze, then thaw and ice the day i need it?
will it freeze well?
Hi Rashida, Ann likes to make her cakes fresh, but yes you can freeze the undecorated cupcakes (or layers if doing a larger cake) as long as they are completely cooled and then wrapped in plastic wrap before freezing. Totally defrost before decorating. Defrosted cake won’t taste as good as fresh but it usually works.
Hi thanks a million.
made it fresh instead of freezing.
looks delish
I love your youtube videos! Me and my mom wanted to try this recipe but I couldn’t find the morello cherries. Could I use a different brand of cherries?
Hi Farrah, Yes you can. Use whatever is readily available to you. The taste may vary slightly as a Morello Cherry has a more ‘tart’ taste.
thinking of making red velvet cupcakes. If I don’t have the cherry juice what do I replace it with.
Hi Ann,
This red velvet will be the first cake i will ever make so I am nervous. However i know if i follow you i will be just fine. but i do wonder if dont make it as a cupcake but make a big cake? Can i do that with this recipe? What size of the tin i need?
Now Cherry here is quite cheap, can make curry juice from scratch? if so how to?
Sorry too many questions, I am new to baking
Hi Apple, If you are new to baking, it is probably a good idea to make the cupcakes as shown here so you can feel confident in what you are doing. You can make cherry syrup from scratch, but use the tinned juice for your first go to kept it simple. Another great cake to try for a first go and if you want a large cake, is this sponge: https://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/sponge-cake-recipe/ .
Hi Ann, I found morello cherries but they aren’t sour, can I still use them? Or do I have to reduce a bit of the sugar
Yes Ellen, They should be fine to use. Morello cherries are by variety more on the tart side.
Please is it whipping cream you refer to as cream in your recipes and can magarine be used in place of butter
Hi Praise, Use this link to work out what cream to use as the name varies across the world: https://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/cream-use/ .
Ann uses margarine in her recipes unless butter produces a better taste for a specific recipe. Usually you can replace the butter for margarine without a drama.
Hi Ann, I’m making these for 5th graders as they are graduating soon. I saw your taste test video and the kids spit out the frosting. Could I use buttercream? Do you think I could stick with the cream cheese frosting?
Hi Lynsie, You could use whatever frosting you yuse white chocolate ganache or buttercream. It will depend on what your kids will like. If they are used having red velvet cake with the cream cheese frosting, it might be preferable to stick with it.
How much does this recipe make?
Hi Catherine, This recipe will make at least a dozen.
This is delicious
Hello Ann, simply love your web and all the fantastic videos n methods. Im from south east asia, made d cake today n totally loving d soft n smooth texture! Also trying out that chocolate method for d first time. Thanks so much!
The cake as a whole
Sunny, Your cake looks amazing!
Hi Ann!
Big fan of your work, I recently tried this recipe and it was delicious. Very soft and fluffy with that unique taste that they have in New York City. Never knew the key ingredient was the Sour cherries, anyway, I just wanted to let you know or others that there is another thing you could use, in my case, nobody wanted the sour cherries and I personally don’t like making jam, so I thought of an idea. You could use sour cherry juice, it’s a Turkish brand called “Visne” (Some brands could be Arab too, but it’s essentially the same) You can get it at Woolworths or Coles in the Mediterranean section. Works perfectly. I would recommend using slightly less because it’s just a tad more sour. You can also drink the sour cherry juice by itself on a warm summers day! Hope this helps!
Warm Regards,
Salma
🙂
Thanks for the tip Salma.
Absolutely super variation.
Thanks Audrey.
Hey Ann! I live in South Africa and I absolutely love your website! I’m a real Red Velvet freak, so I tried your cupcakes today with the cream cheese frosting and they came out great! I used a different cherry juice, I couldn’t find Morello, but it came out delicious!!
Thank you
That’s great Jeane!
Hi Ann,
I love you tutorials and am a huge fan. I live in rural Eastern Canada and am unable to find morello cherries can I substitute canned cherries or maraschino cherries ? Thank you again for your amazing videos !
Sylvia
Hi Sylvia, You could substitute tinned cherries or any other tinned fruit. Just be aware that it will change the flavour. I wouldn’t use Maraschino cherries.
Hi Ann,
I’m a fan of your recipes.
Are you able to make the cupcakes into a cake?
Thanks
Hi Ann,
Love all your videos,Thanx for sharing.
In my country we have a very rich natural cocoa powder, that ends up making the red velvet look brown instead of red.
Can I substitute one teaspoon of cocoa powder with plain powder. Will it have the same taste ?
You probably have your question answered, but just use a lot of red food coloring.
i love your vidoes so much and I would like it if you would make a giant resse video I would like that very much
Hi ann thank you for your lovely recipes. Can we use cheerys. Jam or cheery jelly instead of morello cheery in red velvet cake