Magnolia Bakery Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Magnolia Bakery Red Velvet Cake Recipe is a classic dessert featuring vibrant red, moist layers and rich cream cheese frosting. The combination of cocoa, buttermilk, and butter creates a tender, flavourful cake that melts in the mouth. This recipe is approachable for home bakers and delivers a bakery quality result, offering indulgence, satisfaction, and a visually stunning treat.
Equipment
- 3 round 9-inch cake pans
- Electric mixer (stand or hand mixer)
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Whisk
- Cooling racks
- Offset spatula or cake icing knife
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For The Red Velvet Cake
- 3 ⅓ cups cake flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups neutral oil canola or vegetable
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ¾ cup 1 ½ sticks / 170 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon red gel food coloring
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 12 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Prepare Your Pans
- Grease three 9-inch cake pans with butter or nonstick spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly dust the sides with flour. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
Mix The Dry Ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until everything is well combined.
Combine The First Set Of Wet Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, 2 eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, vinegar, and red food colouring until smooth.
Cream The Butter
- In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Add The Remaining Eggs
- Add the remaining 3 eggs one at a time to the creamed butter, beating well after each addition so the mixture stays smooth and airy.
Bring Everything Together
- Pour the oil-and-egg mixture into the creamed butter. Stir briefly, then add the dry ingredients in two batches, mixing just until smooth. Be careful not to over mix the batter should be uniform but light.
Divide The Batter And Bake
- Evenly divide the batter among the three prepared pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool The Cakes
- Let the cakes rest in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Make The Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed. Finish by mixing in the vanilla and a pinch of salt until smooth.
Assemble And Chill
- Frost between each cake layer, then cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Chill for 20–30 minutes before slicing to get clean, neat pieces. Serve and enjoy!