Red Velvet Sheet Cake

Make a classic red velvet sheet cake for your next party or celebration. This tender cake is made with a combination of chocolate, vanilla, and tangy buttermilk, topped with a silky, less-sweet ermine frosting.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Cooling time 1

Total Time 1 40

Servings or more servings

Author Heather

Ingredients

Frosting

1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (480 g) whole milk
2 cups (450 g) unsalted butter room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Cake

3 cups (336 g) cake flour
3 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter room temperature
2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup (100 g) vegetable oil
1 cup (240 g) buttermilk room temperature
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
4 teaspoons red gel food coloring

Instructions

Ermine frosting

In a saucepan over medium heat, add sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk in milk and continue whisking until smooth.
Cook over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, whisking frequently, until mixture looks very thick (like sweetened condensed milk consistency). Remove from heat.
Transfer mixture to a bowl. Press plastic wrap over the top of the mixture and up the sides of the bowl to prevent a skin from forming. Allow mixture to cool completely to room temperature, about an hour. (To speed up cooling, transfer to the refrigerator, but don't allow it to go below room temperature. Mixture will solidify and become difficult to work with.)
Now is a good time to prepare your cake.
Once flour mixture has cooled, add room temperature butter to a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer (or a stand mixer) until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add your cooled flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the whipped butter and beat until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently. Continue until all of your flour mixture has been incorporated. (If your flour mixture is even a little warm it will melt the butter and ruin the frosting. Flour mixture must be room temperature, not warm, for this step).
Add vanilla extract and mix to combine. Frosting should be silky smooth with a whipped texture.

Cake

Preheat oven to 350℉. Generously grease a 9x13 or 13x18 inch baking pan and set aside.
In a bowl, add dry ingredients: cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and remove any clumps. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add butter and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat to combine. Add vanilla and eggs and beat until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, add oil, buttermilk, vinegar, and food coloring. Stir to combine.
To your egg mixture, add half of the dry ingredients. Stir until just incorporated. Add half of your buttermilk mixture and stir until just incorporated. Repeat once more to add your remaining dry and wet ingredients. Do not overmix.
Pour batter into prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer.
9x13 baking pan: 32-38 minutes
13x18 half sheet pan: 18-20 minutes
Bake your cake using the times listed above as an estimate, or until cake is baked through in the center. If your cake jiggles in the middle, it needs more time. If cake is not jiggly, gently press into the center with a finger. If an indent is left, your cake is not done. If cake springs back, it's done. If you have an instant read thermometer, cake is done at 210℉. Ovens can run hot, so I suggest using visual cues and not relying on time alone.
Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack.
Spread frosting onto cooled cake, slice, and serve.

Notes

Food coloring: 4 teaspoons gel food coloring can be substituted with 8 teaspoons liquid food coloring. Food coloring can be omitted entirely for a pale brown cake.
Frosting substitutes: Ermine frosting can be substituted with your favorite frosting - popular choices include cream cheese frosting and buttercream frosting.
Frosting will melt when heated: Ermine frosting melts at high temperatures, around 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live in a tropical/humid environment, I suggest storing cupcakes in the refrigerator.
Servings: A 13x18 sheet cake can be sliced to serve anywhere from 24 to 54 guests depending on slice size.
Storage: Ermine frosting can sit out at room temperature for six hours, and otherwise must be stored in the refrigerator. Allow cake to come to room temperature for 1 hour before serving (butter-based cake hardens when chilled).
More tips: Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cake, based on reader comments and questions!

Nutrition