Red Velvet Cake with Ermine Frosting
Uncover the science behind the ultimate red velvet cake! In this tutorial, we’ll create a moist, flavor-packed red velvet cake layered and frosted with classic Vanilla Ermine Buttercream. Red Velvet traditionally contains both cocoa powder and vanilla, but I’ve enhanced my previous recipe to lean more into the cocoa flavors of red velvet, followed by floral vanilla. This is balanced by the tang of buttermilk for a perfect flavor profile.
What is the size of this cake?
This is an 8-inch round cake around 6-7 inches tall. I baked two red velvet cake layers, then sliced in half to create four thinner cake layers. You can make this cake without this step and have two fatter layers of red velvet cake, too, and each layer will be approximately 1 ½ to 2 inches tall.
What is Ermine Frosting?
Cream cheese frosting is what you may see for red velvet cake, and it is loved for its tangy richness. However, for this recipe, I’m opting for ermine frosting, the traditional choice for red velvet. Unlike cream cheese frosting, ermine is light and silky, with a smooth, whipped texture from cooking flour, milk, and sugar into a thick paste before adding butter.
Ermine frosting enhances the delicate crumb of red velvet without overpowering it, offering a classic, less tangy flavor that beautifully complements the cake’s original character. It is also one of the most heat-stable buttercreams, making it ideal for cakes that need to sit at room temperature, unlike cream cheese frosting cakes, which should be chilled within 2 hours.
If cream cheese frosting is more your jam, don’t worry! Go to the Cakeculator and design your custom red velvet cake with a cream cheese frosting. (I have four to choose from!)
What is the flavor and taste of Red Velvet Cake?
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Red velvet cake features a unique flavor profile that combines subtle chocolate richness with a hint of tanginess from buttermilk and vinegar. It's often described as having equal parts vanilla and cocoa flavors, which is quite accurate.
This is an updated recipe, and I’m leaning the cake toward chocolate flavors. I've emphasized the cocoa flavor by blooming natural cocoa powder in warm buttermilk before adding it to the batter. Be sure to use liquid, cultured buttermilk (not powdered) since its acidity significantly contributes to the cake's tanginess.
Vinegar enhances acidity and was traditionally included in older red velvet recipes to aid in rising by reacting with baking soda. However, my version uses baking powder, which is more reliable for scaling recipes in the Cakeculator. While the vinegar primarily adds flavor, I recommend including it for an extra layer of tanginess.
What is the texture of Red Velvet Cake?
The texture of my cakes depends on the ingredients, their ratios, and most importantly, the method by which you bring the ingredients together. My red velvet cake is a creamed fat cake, meaning that sugar is mixed with the fat (butter + oil) to create little pockets that expand with air from the leaveners. This creates a slightly denser yet plush cake, which is very moist with a fudgy-textured crumb.
The gel food coloring makes the cake bright red, and I use Americolor in “Super Red.” You can use as little or as much as you like for this batter or none at all. Without food coloring, the cake will be light brown.
Step by step:
How to assemble my Red Velvet Cake with Ermine Buttercream
You can make the cake layers ahead of time. If you make the cake beforehand, wrap the layers with plastic wrap. You want the wrap to be airtight but not so tight that it deforms the soft cake. I usually leave these cake layers on my counter the day before. You can freeze them for longer storage, which requires placing each airtight-wrapped cake layer in labeled plastic bags.
For the Ermine buttercream, I have an entire post dedicated the method I’ve perfected, so go check my Ermine Buttercream Complete Guide if you need some visuals on how to make the frosting. I’ve written out the exact amounts you need for this cake in the recipe card down below, so be sure to come back here for the recipe. If you’d like to make the frosting ahead of time, I’ve written a tutorial on how to make and store frosting ahead of time here.
Once you have your cake layers and frosting ready, it’s time to assemble the cake.
Step 1: Slice cake layers (optional)
I’m using my Wilton cake slicer to horizontally slice each layer in half (1a,b), creating four thinner layers of cake (1c). You can omit this step and build the cake with two fatter layers.
If you plan on using red crumbs to decorate your cake's exterior, save all the crumbs that have fallen off and shave off a little extra from the top of one of the cake layers. You don’t need much; probably around ½ cup of crumbs is more than enough.
Step 2: Stack cake layers with frosting.
Smear a bit of frosting on a tray or cake plate to glue the cake in place while you work with it (2a). Lay down your first layer (2b).
Add frosting to the top of the layer. I use a scoop, so I get equal amounts between each layer (2c). That ice cream scoop gives me around ¼ cups of frosting per scoop, so I’d say that's about 1 ¼ cups of frosting between each layer. Spread the frosting evenly to the edge (2d).
Lay on the next cake layer and repeat this method until all the cake layers have been stacked (2e). Then, add another couple of scoops to the top (2f) to start the crumb coat in the next step.
Step 3: Apply a thin crumb coat to the cake.
Use the frosting you’ve added to the top and smooth the finest layer around every part of the cake from the top to the sides (3a, b). The goal is not to make it look pretty but to collect all the crumbs in a thin layer against the cake to prevent it from migrating to the outer layer. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
Step 4: Apply a top coat of frosting.
After the cake has chilled, the frosting should be pretty firm to the touch. Start to apply the outer layer (also called the “top coat”) of frosting by smearing a bit on the top and migrating down to the sides.
Once the frosting completely covers the exterior, it will take a few passes to look good. This is the hardest part for me, so give yourself time to work through it if it's your first time. A cake scraper helps spackle the large dents (4c), and usually, I’ll do a final pass to get out most of the air bubbles (4d).
Step 5: Decorate
I usually do simple piping for my cakes, but feel free to go all out here. This is a Wilton 2M tip (5a), and I will make a simple border along the top of my cake. I then use my reserved cake crumbs to decorate the bottom border and top of the cake (5b).
Video
Read this before you begin
Measure by weight, if possible.
Measuring by weight is the best way for you to replicate my recipes. I develop recipes using ingredients (even liquids) measured in grams, which is why you see them listed first in the recipe cards. For measurements under 5 grams, I will typically only list the volumetric measurements (teaspoons, etc.), as most home scales are not precise for such small weights.
In most cases, I have converted grams to volumetric measurements (aka US customary units) for bakers who prefer this method. However, the measurements are not as precise and may have awkward proportions. The recipes should still work, but for the ultimate precision, try to use weight.
This is the OXO scale I use daily. I also purchased this budget version of a good scale, which I keep at my Mom’s house for baking. If you’re interested in other tools I use for my baking, I’ve compiled a list here.
Use room temperature ingredients.
All my ingredients should be used at room temperature, or 65-75 °F/18-24 °C. I will always indicate if you need something outside this range. If no details are given, room temperature is the default.
Pay attention to the ingredient descriptions.
I try not to be brand-specific, but I will always note an interesting result from a type of ingredient, be it negative or positive.
A specific note regarding salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt for everything on this site except for frostings. In frostings, you want the salt to dissolve more easily, and kosher salt tends to leave granules behind. If you substitute table salt (more finely granulated) for recipes that list kosher salt, you must use half the volume indicated in my recipes.
Substitutions are hard.
That’s not to say they’re impossible, though. For instance, in many cases, substituting reduced fat for whole milk (and thus reducing fat by less than 2%) will probably be fine. Using applesauce for oil or even Greek yogurt when sour cream is listed will definitely alter the fat content and adversely affect the crumb texture and density of the cake.
I experiment for hours to get these recipes to work for us. First, try to make them as written or use one of my tested substitutions, which I often dedicate a section to. Then, if necessary, you can make modifications afterward. Even then I would be pretty cautious, as substitutions are one of the hardest things to investigate in recipe development.
Read all the recipe instructions before beginning.
I’m in the “Pre-read the Chapter before Class Lecture” club... and I invite you to join! Baking new recipes can be intimidating, so let’s set you up for success. I want you to think about timeframes. Most fillings and frostings can be made ahead of time, and give you an extra day for mental space. Also, as you become a more proficient baker, you can anticipate and recognize steps. (“Oh, this has a meringue step, so I’ll need an extra clean bowl…” etc.) Ensure you go down the ingredient list and have everything at the right temperature.
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Red Velvet Cake with Vanilla Ermine Buttercream
Red Velvet Cake:
- 36 g (6 tablespoons) unsweetened cocoa powder, natural*
- 322 g (1 ⅓ cups) liquid cultured buttermilk, low fat**
- 8 g (3 teaspoons) red gel food coloring***
- 2 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 270 g (2 ¼ cups) cake flour, bleached or unbleached
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 84 g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 500 g (2 ½ cups) granulated white sugar
- 50 g (4 tablespoons) oil, canola or vegetable
- 30 g (2 tablespoons) vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 80 g (4 large) egg yolks
- 200 g (4 large) whole eggs
Vanilla Ermine Buttercream:
- 86 g (11 ¼ tablespoons) all-purpose flour****
- 438 g (2 ⅛ cups) white granulated sugar
- 427 g (1 ¾ cups) whole milk, cold from fridge
- 214 g (14 tablespoons) heavy cream, cold from fridge*****
- 495 g (2 ⅛ cups) unsalted butter, softened slightly
- 9 g (2 ⅛ teaspoons) vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Red Velvet Cake:
- 36 g (6 tablespoons) unsweetened cocoa powder, natural*
- 322 g (1 ⅓ cups) liquid cultured buttermilk, low fat**
- 8 g (3 teaspoons) red gel food coloring***
- 2 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 270 g (2 ¼ cups) cake flour, bleached or unbleached
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 84 g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 500 g (2 ½ cups) granulated white sugar
- 50 g (4 tablespoons) oil, canola or vegetable
- 30 g (2 tablespoons) vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 80 g (4 large) egg yolks
- 200 g (4 large) whole eggs
Vanilla Ermine Buttercream:
- 86 g (11 ¼ tablespoons) all-purpose flour****
- 438 g (2 ⅛ cups) white granulated sugar
- 427 g (1 ¾ cups) whole milk, cold from fridge
- 214 g (14 tablespoons) heavy cream, cold from fridge*****
- 495 g (2 ⅛ cups) unsalted butter, softened slightly
- 9 g (2 ⅛ teaspoons) vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Bake the Red Velvet Cake layers:
- Preheat the oven.
Move your rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). - Prepare the pans.
Butter or spray the insides of 8" cake pans with oil, and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Dust the sides of the pan with a very light coating of flour. - Prep wet and dry ingredients.
Combine the cocoa powder and liquid buttermilk in a small heat-proof bowl or measuring cup. Microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring after each, until the mixture is warm—similar to hot tap water—without overheating to prevent evaporation. Stir until the cocoa powder is fully dispersed and the mixture smells chocolatey and is evenly brown. Stir in the food coloring and vinegar.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cake flour and baking powder. Set those preparations aside for now. - Cream and aerate the fats.
Combine the butter, granulated sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and salt in a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Cream the mixture for 2-3 minutes using the paddle attachment until it becomes slightly tan from the vanilla and more voluminous. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl at least once during this process. - Mix in the eggs.
Add all the eggs (both yolks and whole eggs) to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed to combine, then increase to medium speed for about 2 minutes. The batter will become slightly more voluminous and yellow. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. - Alternate adding the flour and red buttermilk mixture to the butter-sugar-egg mixture.
Add the flour in 3 additions and the red buttermilk mixture in 2 additions as follows:
a. Add half the flour to the stand mixer and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
b. Add half of the red buttermilk, mix on low, and scrape the bowl.
c. Add half the remaining flour mixture, mix on low, and scrape again.
d. Add the rest of the buttermilk, mix on low, and scrape.
e. Finally, add the remaining flour and mix until fully combined. - Fill the pans.
Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared pans. - Bake for about 38-42 minutes.
When shaking the pan, the centers should not jiggle. A skewer inserted in the center should come out with a few crumbs. Using a thermometer, the internal temperature should be between 190-200°F (88-93°C). - Cool the cakes.
Move the pans to a wire rack and allow to cool in the pan. - Remove cake from pans.
I remove cakes from their pan while still slightly warm to preserve moisture. Once the cake pan has cooled down enough to handle, slide a knife around the perimeter of the cake to loosen it, and carefully invert the pan above a wire rack or plate. The cake should fall right out, and you can peel the parchment off the bottom. If your frosting is done, leave the cakes out and immediately move to assembly. Otherwise, I will wrap the cake in plastic to reduce moisture loss. The cakes must be completely cooled before moving on to the assembly.
Prepare the Vanilla Ermine Buttercream:
- Cook sweetened flour paste.
If you plan to sieve your flour paste, place your sieve atop a shallow tray or plate for easy access. Otherwise, just have your tray out and ready.
Get a timer ready. Set the timer for one minute for every cup of milk/cream. (For example, the 1 cup frosting takes about 30 seconds, and the 3 cup frosting takes 1 minute and 30 seconds.)In a pan, whisk together the flour and sugar. Pour in the cold milk and heavy cream. Whisk until you no longer see lumps of flour.
Place the pan on medium-low heat. Cook the flour mixture, whisking continuously and scraping the sides. It will gradually start to thicken into a loose pudding.
Once you see large bubbles pop in the center, start your timer and continue to whisk vigorously. Feel free to decrease the heat if the starch begins sticking to the bottom of the pan, but you want a steady bubbling mixture throughout this process. - Sieve (optional) and cool sweetened flour paste.
When the timer is up, use a spatula to scrape the hot paste onto your tray.
If you have clumps or want to ensure you get a super smooth frosting, push the hot paste through a sieve onto the tray.
Spray a piece of plastic wrap with oil and press it directly onto the surface of the paste. I like to flatten it out a bit, too, so it cools faster.
Let this sit at room temperature to cool. I sometimes place the tray in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to speed up the process. It should feel completely cool to the touch before use.
- Aerate butter.
Add the softened butter to the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed until it's paler in color and slightly more voluminous. Add the vanilla extract and pinch of salt and mix on high speed for 2 minutes. - Add cooled flour paste.
Ensure your paste is cool to the touch. Mix the paste in 4 to 5 additions. Add the first amount, then whisk on high speed for a few seconds before adding the next.
- Adjust buttercream for texture.
The whisk introduces many air pockets, so switch to the paddle attachment for smoothing. Run the mixer on low speed for a few minutes until most of the air pockets are smoothed out.
Compared to most other buttercreams, this frosting may feel looser. Don't let that deter you; it will still pipe and frost a cake just fine. It has a lower butter content than my other buttercreams so that it will feel less dense. Running a spatula over the top of the buttercream several times while smoothing onto cakes or through a piping tip will give you the smoothest result with this frosting style.
Assemble the cake:
- Slice cake layers (optional).
Use a cake slicer or long serrated knife to split each layer horizontally, creating four thinner cake layers. You can omit this step and build the cake with two fatter layers.
If you plan on using red crumbs to decorate your cake's exterior, save all the crumbs that have fallen off and shave off a little extra from the top of one of the cake layers. You don’t need much; probably around ½ cup of crumbs is more than enough. - Stack cake layers with frosting.
Smear a bit of frosting on a tray or cake plate to glue the cake in place while you work with it. Lay down your first layer.
Add frosting to the top of the layer. I use a scoop, so I get equal amounts between each layer. My scoop gives me around ¼ cups of frosting per scoop, so I’d say that's about 1 ¼ cups of frosting between each layer. Spread the frosting evenly to the edge.
Lay on the next cake layer and repeat this method until all the cake layers have been stacked. Then, add another scoop to the top to start the crumb coat for the next step. - Apply a thin crumb coat to the cake.
Use the frosting you’ve added to the top and smooth the finest layer around every part of the cake from the top to the sides. The goal is not to make it look pretty but to collect all the crumbs in a thin layer against the cake to prevent it from migrating to the outer layer. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. - Apply a top coat of frosting.
After the cake has chilled, the frosting should be pretty firm to the touch. Start to apply the outer layer (also called the “top coat”) of frosting by smearing a bit on the top and migrating down to the sides.
Once the frosting completely covers the exterior, it will take a few passes to look good. This is the hardest part for me, so give yourself time to work through it if it's your first time. A cake scraper helps spackle the large dents, and usually, I’ll do a final pass to get out most of the air bubbles. - Decorate the cake.
I usually do simple piping for my cakes, but feel free to go all out here. This is a Wilton 2M tip (5a), and I will make a simple border along the top of my cake. I then use my reserved cake crumbs to decorate the bottom border and top of the cake.
Recipe Card - Adriana's Notes
*Natural cocoa has a strong, acidic, almost astringent flavor. It’s a lighter brown color than Dutch-processed cocoa. I prefer natural cocoa in this cake, but you can use Dutch-processed cocoa for a milder chocolate flavor.
**Be sure to use liquid, cultured buttermilk in this recipe. Buttermilk powders are a common substitute for liquid buttermilk, but they don’t work as well in this recipe. Most powders are “sweet cream” or some combination of that, and we need the tanginess from the cultured one.
***Every gel food coloring will measure and look differently, so add as much or as little gel as you like. You can also swap out colors here. I've made a rose-colored velvet cake and a green velvet cake for the holiday season.
****You can use many types of flour. For more science behind this substitution, visit my Complete Ermine Buttercream Guide.
*****You can use all whole milk for this recipe; it’s a direct substitution, so just use the same amount of whole milk for heavy cream. The result is a looser buttercream, which will still frost and pipe well. I prefer this heavy cream version—it only increases the fat by about 2%, so it is nearly undetectable on the palate, yet it creates a more stable emulsion, which I find frosts and smooths much more beautifully.
However, do not use milk with a lower fat content than whole (3.5%). You may get it to work in small amounts of frosting, but as you exceed 2 cups of frosting, lower fat percentages have more trouble emulsifying with the butter, so you’ll end up with a very loose and drippy frosting.
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