A small batch red velvet cake is perfect for a small group or two! This particular red velvet cake recipe uses a recipe that I’ve been making for years and years and is covered with a cream cheese frosting. It’s low key my favorite cake to make and could just be the best homemade red velvet cake you’ll try!
This little small batch red velvet cake is the perfect size for two or a small group! As I’m writing this, Valentine’s Day is coming up soon so hint hint if you’re still looking for a date-night dessert recipe I’ve got you covered.
If you’re wondering how to make red velvet cake, or even more specifically how to make a small red velvet cake, then keep reading!
The Best Red Velvet Cake
I’m about to do something really cliché.
I’m about to tell a story behind this recipe (bear with me or use the jump to recipe button at the top of the page haha). Anyways, when I was in high school for some reason I made a lot of red velvet cake. Especially my senior year. There were multiple friends that I would bake red velvet cupcakes with on school nights or on weekends. We had recipes that we had collected from various online blogs and cookbooks, and would often prepare them for our other friends or to bring to class. It was tons of fun, even when things went wrong! Aka the time I dropped the bottle of red food coloring into the stand mixer while it was running.
Through all of the cake making, we were able to eventually pull elements from each recipe to make the perfect red velvet cake recipe.
Long story short, I made a lot of red velvet cake, and it ended up ruining some diets. The first case of this happening was when I brought the cupcakes into my AP US History class, where the teacher was attempting Paleo-esque diet (this was back when paleo diets were just starting to get big and quinoa was still relatively obscure). The second incidence of this happening was later that year, at my grad party, when one of my friends attempting a low-fat diet had his resolve broken by some red velvet cupcakes.
All that to say–red velvet cake is something that is really hard to say no to. It’s soft, tender, and had a subtle chocolate flavor. This particular recipe is my favorite and I’m excited to share it with you.
What is Red Velvet Cake?
Why is it red? What does it taste like? Is it chocolate cake? Is it red vanilla cake? Is that color safe to eat? All great questions
Red velvet cake gets its color from red food coloring and cocoa powder. The more food coloring you add, the more bright red it becomes. I like to use less food coloring than most recipes out there to keep the color more of a dark, maroon red, but you can definitely make it super vibrant.
Essential ingredients for the cake include buttermilk, vinegar, baking soda, and cocoa powder. The acids reacting with an antioxidant called anthocyanin in the cocoa powder actually helps give it that deep red color that its known for. Food coloring gets it some of the way there, but the cocoa powder is what gives it such a rich color. In addition, the acids reacting with the baking soda help make the cake super light and fluffy. Almost….velvety for lack of a better word.
Red velvet cake tastes tangy and rich with a hint of chocolate. It pairs perfectly with cream cheese frosting. Though, fun fact, traditional red velvet cake uses ermine frosting!
Ingredients for Red Velvet Cake
The specific set of ingredients used in red velvet cake is what helps give it its unique color, flavor, and velvety texture.
For the Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda and baking powder
- Fine sea salt
- Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- Buttermilk: heat it for 15 seconds in the microwave before using to slightly warm it up
- Vinegar: either white vinegar or apple cider vinegar work
- Red food coloring: I use a liquid food coloring for this cake. And while this recipe uses 1 tsp of red food coloring, feel free to add more if you prefer a more vibrantly colored cake.
- Hot water: this helps bring out some of the flavors in the cocoa powder
- Vanilla extract
- Granulated sugar
- An egg, at room temperature
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- An 8 oz block of cream cheese
- A stick of unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Fine sea salt
What Size Cake Does This Make?
Since this is a small-batch cake, it is on the smaller size. This recipe makes a 2-layer six inch cake, or a single-layer 8-9 inch cake.
It will also make one-dozen (12) cupcakes if that’s more your speed!
Tips for Making Red Velvet Cake
- Use room temperature ingredients: make sure that your egg is at room temperature and buttermilk is slightly warm. To do so, place the egg into a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes, and heat the buttermilk for 15 seconds in the microwave before using.
- Don’t overmix the batter: help keep this cake soft and tender but whisking the flour in until it is just combined and no more. Over-mixing will result in tough and gummy cake, which is the opposite of what we want!
- Chill the cake layers before frosting: cold cakes are easier to frost and you’ll be less likely to get crumbs caught up in your frosting. I like to freeze my cake layers overnight, or if I don’t have time, I freeze them while I prep my frosting.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If so, I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment, rating, or take a picture and share it with me on Instagram @toppedwithhoney. Looking forward to seeing your decadent red velvet cakes!
If you’re not ready to bake yet, no problem! Simply hover over any image in this post (pick your favorite), or tap if you’re on mobile, and click the pin icon in the corner to save for later.
Have fun cooking and check out some other cake recipes here!
Let’s also connect on Instagram and/or Pinterest!
Small Batch Red Velvet Cake
Small Batch Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1.25 cups flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp buttermilk, shaken and warmed for 15 seconds in the microwave
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1 tsp red food coloring
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup hot water
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Prepare the Cake and Frosting
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 6″ round cake pans. Grab yourself three bowls (one small, one medium, and one large).
- In the medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt. Set this aside for now.
- In the smaller bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, food coloring, and vinegar.
- Then, in the large bowl, whisk together the beat the oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla together until creamy and smooth.
- Then, to this bowl with the oil and sugar, whisk in half of the flour mixture, followed by all of the buttermilk, the hot water, and then the remaining flour. Whisk until the flour is just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans. Use a measuring cup to help portion it out. Bake for 24-26 minutes, or until the cakes are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes and let them cool completely in the pans. Once cooled, run a knife along the edges to help release the cakes, and then turn them out onto a wire rack. Wrap each layer in plastic wrap, and then place them into the freezer to chill while you prepare the frosting.
- To make the frosting, start by beating the butter and cream cheese together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Then, add the remaining ingredients and continue beating on medium-high speed until fluffy, around 3-4 minutes.
Assemble the Cake
- Remove the cake layers from the freezer. If the cakes have little domes on top, run a serrated knife horizontally across the top to create a flat, even layer.
- Take one layer of cake and place it down on a cake board or cake stand. Spread an even layer of frosting ½ inch thick across the top of the cake. I like to use a round piping tip to pipe this layer on in a circular manner, and then smooth it out with an offset spatula.
- Take the other cake layer and place it on top. Now spread the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting to create a 'crumb coat'. Once you have done this, transfer the cake to the fridge for at least 10 minutes to let the crumb coat set.
- After that, spread an additional, thicker layer of frosting on top of the crumb coat, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly and smooth it out.
- Optional: pipe some decor on top using a star tip and garnish with some cake crumbs. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply