Bobby Flay’s Heavenly Red Velvet Cake Recipe

This red velvet cake transforms ordinary baking into an art form, blending rich crimson allure with decadent flavor profiles.

Cocoa undertones weave through each tender crumb, creating a symphony of taste that enchants dessert lovers.

Southern kitchens originally birthed this stunning confection, turning humble ingredients into pure culinary magic.

Silky textures promise an indulgent experience that dances between sweet and tangy sensations.

Luxurious cream cheese frosting crowns each slice with velvety smoothness, making every bite a celebration.

Generations of bakers have refined this recipe, ensuring its timeless appeal continues to captivate food enthusiasts.

You’ll fall in love with this show-stopping dessert that turns an ordinary moment into an extraordinary memory.

Cake Frosting Tips and Red Velvet Tricks

• Elevate Your Cake Mastery: Pro Tips & Twists
• Perfect Moisture Control: Add a tablespoon of sour cream or Greek yogurt to enhance cake's tenderness and prevent dryness. This secret ingredient creates incredibly soft crumb texture.
• Wine Vinegar Substitute: Replace red wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar if unavailable. Each brings unique subtle tang that helps activate baking soda for perfect rise.
• Color Customization: Want different cake colors? Swap red food coloring with natural options like beetroot powder for deep red or matcha powder for green hues. Experiment safely with natural pigments.
• Filling Flavor Adventure: Transform cream filling by infusing different extracts like almond, coconut, or orange. Swap vanilla bean with complementary flavor profiles to create personalized dessert experience.

How to Present Red Velvet Cake Beautifully

• Serve Up Pure Deliciousness
• Romantic Date Night Centerpiece: Position this decadent red wine cake as the star of an intimate dinner, adding candles and fresh berries around the plate for extra charm.
• Elegant Afternoon Tea Companion: Slice cake into thin wedges, serve alongside chamomile tea or espresso for a sophisticated dessert experience that feels luxurious yet approachable.
• Celebratory Party Showstopper: Garnish cake slices with powdered sugar dusting, fresh mint leaves, or chocolate shavings to elevate its visual appeal at birthdays or special gatherings.
• Weekend Brunch Indulgence: Pair warm cake slices with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh strawberries, creating a delightful morning treat that feels both indulgent and comfortable.

Keeping Red Velvet Cake Fresh

• Maximize Freshness: Store cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for 2-3 days. Refrigeration extends shelf life up to 5 days.
• Freeze Like a Pro: Wrap individual cake layers in plastic, then aluminum foil. Frozen layers stay delicious for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before serving.
• Filling Storage Hack: Keep cream filling in sealed container in refrigerator for maximum 3 days. Always stir before using to restore smooth consistency.
• Prevent Drying Out: Place slice of bread next to cake to maintain moisture. Replace bread slice daily to keep cake soft and delectable.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Calories: 620 kcal

Servings: 11

What’s in Bobby Flay’s Red Velvet Cake

• All-Purpose Flour: Choose unbleached, high-quality flour for best texture and smooth cake crumb.
• Cocoa Powder: Select Dutch-processed cocoa for rich, deep chocolate flavor and smooth consistency.
• Baking Soda: Ensure fresh and not expired for proper cake rising.
• Salt: Use fine sea salt for even distribution and balanced taste.

• Eggs: Select large, room temperature eggs for smoother batter incorporation.
• Vegetable Oil: Pick neutral-flavored oil for consistent moisture.
• Red Wine Vinegar: Choose high-quality vinegar for subtle tangy undertone.
• Red Food Coloring: Use gel-based coloring for vibrant, even color.
• Vanilla Extract: Opt for pure vanilla extract over imitation for robust flavor.
• Buttermilk: Select full-fat buttermilk for richer, tender cake texture.

• Heavy Cream, Whole Milk: Use fresh, full-fat dairy for luxurious, creamy filling.
• Vanilla Bean, Vanilla Bean Seeds: Select plump, moist vanilla beans for intense aromatic flavor.
• Butter: Choose unsalted, high-quality butter for smooth, creamy frosting.
• Powdered Sugar: Sift to prevent lumps and ensure silky texture.
• Flour: Use finely milled flour for smooth pudding base.

Baking Tools for Red Velvet Cake Success

• Stand Mixer: Powerful kitchen helper for blending ingredients smoothly and creating creamy textures.
• Paddle Attachment: Essential mixer accessory for consistent mixing and incorporating ingredients evenly.
• 9-inch Cake Pans: Perfect round pans for creating even cake layers with smooth edges.
• Parchment Paper: Non-stick liner ensuring easy cake removal and preventing sticking.
• Whisk: Quick tool for blending dry ingredients and creating lump-free mixtures.
• Saucepan: Heavy-bottomed pot for heating cream and creating smooth filling.
• Spatula: Flexible kitchen tool for scraping bowl sides and ensuring all ingredients mix thoroughly.
• Wire Rack: Essential for cooling cakes evenly and preventing soggy bottoms.
• Toothpick: Simple way to check cake doneness by testing for clean insertion.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons: Precise measuring tools for accurate ingredient quantities.

How to Bake Bobby Flay’s Signature Cake

• Prepare Cake Setup

Preheat oven and set up two cake pans with butter and parchment paper. This creates the perfect foundation for a delectable dessert.

• Mix Dry Components

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Ensure all ingredients are well blended for a smooth texture.

• Create Butter Base

Cream butter, sugar, and oil using a mixer until the mixture becomes light and airy. This step builds the cake’s rich foundation.

• Introduce Liquid Elements

Gently fold in eggs, vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring. Mix carefully to maintain the batter’s delicate consistency.

• Craft Final Batter

Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined to keep the cake tender.

• Bake Cake

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool before removing from pans.

• Develop Cream Filling

Simmer cream, milk, and vanilla bean to create a luxurious base for the filling. Infuse deep flavors by heating carefully.

• Transform Filling

Whisk flour and sugar, then slowly incorporate into hot milk mixture. Cook until the consistency resembles smooth pudding.

• Chill Filling

Cool the mixture completely, refrigerating for a few hours to achieve the perfect spreadable texture.

• Finalize Frosting

Whip room temperature butter and gradually blend in the chilled filling. Beat until the frosting becomes light and irresistibly creamy.

Velvety Bobby Flay Red Velvet Cake Recipe

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4.9 from 36 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 11 1x

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Description

Red velvet cake by Bobby Flay delivers classic Southern dessert charm with rich cocoa undertones and silky cream cheese frosting. Home bakers can recreate this iconic recipe with precise ingredients and careful technique for a restaurant-worthy result.

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Ingredients

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• 3 sticks (340 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 12 tbsps (170 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 ¼ cups (450 grams) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3 ¾ cups (470 grams) all-purpose flour
• 7 tbsps (55 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups (360 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
• ¾ cup (180 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 1 ½ cups (180 grams) powdered sugar
• 3 tbsps Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 ½ tsps baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsps pure vanilla extract
• ½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 1 ½ tsps red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp red food coloring

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Instructions

1. Preparation: Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Dry Ingredients: Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, eliminating any lumps.
3. Creaming: Using a stand mixer, blend butter, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil until pale and voluminous, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Egg Integration: Add eggs individually, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping bowl sides for even distribution.
5. Flavor Infusion: Incorporate vanilla extract, red wine vinegar, and red food coloring, creating a uniform crimson batter.
6. Batter Assembly: Gently alternate adding dry flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture to maintain batter integrity.
7. Baking: Distribute batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing tops. Bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Cooling: Let cakes rest in pans for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
9. Frosting Base: Combine heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla bean, and seeds in a saucepan. Heat until hot but not boiling, stirring continuously.
10. Pudding Preparation: Whisk flour and powdered sugar, gradually mixing into hot milk. Cook until thickened to pudding consistency, then cool to room temperature.
11. Chilling: Refrigerate mixture for minimum 2 hours until thoroughly chilled.
12. Frosting Finalization: Beat room temperature butter until creamy, then gradually incorporate chilled pudding mixture until light and fluffy.

Notes

• Prevent Cake Crumbling: Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting to ensure structural integrity and prevent breaking.
• Master Color Intensity: Add red food coloring gradually and mix thoroughly to achieve a vibrant, consistent crimson color without streaks.
• Avoid Overmixing Batter: Gently fold dry ingredients and buttermilk to maintain cake’s tender texture and prevent dense, tough results.
• Temperature Precision: Use room temperature ingredients like eggs and butter to guarantee smooth mixing and optimal cake rise.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 11
• Calories: 620
• Sugar: 77 g
• Sodium: 280 mg
• Fat: 32 g
• Saturated Fat: 18 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Carbohydrates: 82 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 100 mg