Mary Berry Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Mary Berry’s red velvet cake is a deeply crimson, velvety sponge with a tangy cream cheese frosting — one of the most dramatic and most delicious cakes in this collection.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Cooling and Assembly Time 2

Total Time 2 45

Servings: 10 Slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Calories: 590

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Red Velvet Sponge:
250 g plain flour sifted
2 tbsp cocoa powder sifted
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp fine salt
200 g golden caster sugar
100 g soft light brown sugar
200 ml sunflower oil
2 large eggs room temperature
200 ml buttermilk room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp white wine vinegar
2 –3 tbsp red gel food colouring
Cream Cheese Frosting:
300 g full-fat cream cheese room temperature
150 g unsalted butter softened
500 g icing sugar sifted twice
2 tsp vanilla extract
Juice of ½ lemon
Pinch of fine salt

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm tins. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt into a large bowl — add both sugars and stir.
Whisk oil, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar, and red gel colouring until vivid crimson and combined. Pour into dry ingredients — whisk to a smooth crimson batter.
Divide between tins — weigh for even layers. Bake 25–30 minutes until set and skewer comes out clean. Cool in tins 10 minutes — turn out. Cool completely — 1 hour 30 minutes.
Beat cream cheese and butter 2–3 minutes until smooth. Add icing sugar in 3 batches. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and salt — beat 1–2 minutes. Stop immediately when smooth. Refrigerate 15 minutes if too soft.
Reserve cake crumbs. Place first sponge on plate — spread one-third of frosting. Top with second sponge. Apply thin crumb coat — refrigerate 15 minutes. Apply generous final coat — smooth top, texture sides. Press crumbs onto sides. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Slice.

Notes

Use gel food colouring — liquid requires excessive quantity and adds too much liquid to the batter.

Buttermilk is essential — gives the tangy tenderness and reacts with bicarbonate of soda for lift.

Oil gives the characteristically moist, tender crumb — butter gives a denser result.

Do not overbeat the cream cheese frosting — it becomes liquid and will not firm.

Reserve cake crumbs for the exterior decoration — the traditional red velvet finish.

Freeze unfrosted sponge layers for up to 3 months.