Go Back

Red Velvet Christmas Cake with White Buttercream Frosting

A gorgeous Red Velvet Christmas Cake with fluffy white buttercream frosting, perfect for holiday gatherings and celebrations.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Holiday
Calories: 400
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cake
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons red food coloring
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
For the Frosting
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or milk)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method
 

Baking the Cake
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), then grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Whisk together until well mixed.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, red food coloring, vanilla extract, and white vinegar.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring just until combined.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 10 minutes before turning them out onto wire racks. Allow them to cool completely.
Making the Frosting
  1. In a medium bowl, beat the unsalted butter with a hand mixer until creamy and light, about 2 minutes.
  2. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low until fully combined. Then, add the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Beat on high for about 3 minutes until fluffy.
  3. Place the top layer of the cooled cake on a serving plate, spread a generous amount of frosting over it, then place the second layer on top. Finish by frosting the top and sides.

Notes

Tips: You can bake the cake layers a day in advance and store them in the fridge. Feel free to reduce the food coloring or skip it for a classic chocolate cake. Add crushed pecans or walnuts to the frosting for some crunch!