07/08/2026
Oil-Based Red Velvet Cake
Yield: Three 8-inch × 2-inch cake layers
Dry Ingredients
* 420 g all-purpose flour
* 30 g cornstarch
* 20 g natural cocoa powder
* 400 g granulated sugar
* 10 g baking powder
* 5 g baking soda
* 5 g salt
Wet Ingredients
* 300 g vegetable oil (sunflower, canola, or any neutral oil)
* 300 g buttermilk (room temperature)
* 3 large eggs (about 150 g without shells)
* 10 g vanilla extract
* 10 g white vinegar
* 15–20 g red gel food colouring (adjust to your desired shade)
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 160–170°C. Grease and line your cake pans.
2. Whisk together all the dry ingredients.
3. In another bowl, whisk the oil, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar, and food colouring until smooth.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until no dry flour remains. Do not overmix.
5. Divide evenly into the prepared pans.
6. Bake for 35–45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10–15 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack.
Why this recipe works
* Oil keeps the cake soft and moist for days.
* Buttermilk creates the classic tangy red velvet flavour and tender crumb.
* Cornstarch softens the gluten, making the cake finer and more velvety.
* Vinegar + baking soda react to produce a lighter texture.
* A small amount of cocoa gives the signature red velvet flavour without making it taste like chocolate cake.
Professional Tips
* Use gel food colouring instead of liquid for a richer red colour.
* Don’t use Dutch-process cocoa; natural cocoa works better with the acidity in the recipe.
* Once cooled, wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and let them rest overnight. The flavour and texture improve by the next day.
* This cake pairs best with cream cheese frosting, stabilized whipped cream cheese frosting, or white chocolate cream cheese frosting.
