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Blood Red Velvet Cake

This striking blood red velvet cake features a moist, tender crumb with a vibrant red hue that makes it visually captivating. The recipe involves mixing dry and wet ingredients separately, then folding them together before baking to achieve a soft, airy texture. Finished with a smooth frosting, it’s a bold dessert that combines rich cocoa flavor with a vivid, almost luminous appearance.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons red food coloring
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Electric hand mixer
  • Cake pan (20cm round)
  • Parchment paper
  • Cooling Rack

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease your 20cm round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt until evenly combined. This creates a dry, crumbly mixture that forms the cake’s structure.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and red food coloring. Whisk until the mixture is smooth, vibrant, and slightly frothy, releasing a rich cocoa aroma.
  4. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using an electric hand mixer, beat on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until the batter is smooth, thick, and has no lumps. The color should be bright and uniform.
  5. Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles and ensure even distribution.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. The cake is done when the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely, about an hour. This helps the crumb set and prevents cracking.
  8. Once cooled, carefully peel away the parchment paper and slice the cake into layers or serve as a whole. The moist crumb should be vibrant red and tender to the touch.

Notes

For an extra striking look, consider frosting with cream cheese frosting and decorating with red sprinkles or edible glitter.