Learn how to make my family’s recipe for Classic Red Velvet Cake. It’s truly a southern classic with homestyle pecan-cream cheese frosting. Get the step-by-step instructions complete with video tutorial.
If you’re a regular visitor here, you know there’s no shortage of red velvet cake recipes on this blog. There’s last year’s . The many layered . And from deep in the archives, the heart-shaped . So, why another? This one is from my dad’s side of the family, from my Aunt Alice. It is the quintessential red velvet, of deep red hue and so incredibly moist. It feels even more southern than all the others I’ve made. Because it has a healthy helping of chopped pecans stirred right into the cream cheese frosting.
You may remember my Aunt Alice’s original German Chocolate Cake recipe (). She’s so generous with her recipes. When I asked for the German Chocolate Cake recipe, she also offered her best red velvet cake. I jumped at the offer!
“I have a delicious Red Velvet Recipe by Willard Scott that I use and everyone says it is the best. Have been using this recipe for years and everyone loves it.”
-Aunt Alice
This one is so good. Soft texture, light buttermilk tang, luscious cream cheese frosting – every single thing you’d want in a classic red velvet cake. She mentions the recipe is from Willard Scott, who was a weatherman on NBC’s Today show for 35 years. He wrote a cookbook that details his travels across America. This recipe originates from that book, discovered at one of his stops at the Florida restaurant, .
For the Batter
I’ve made one change in the batter recipe, and that’s the type of flour used. The original recipe calls for self-rising flour. I’ve re-written that part of the recipe for the use of all-purpose flour and the required leavens + salt. Outside of the south, it seems that few home bakers keep self-rising flour on hand. Directions for using the self rising flour will be in the recipe notes, if you choose to use it instead.
Either way – this batter is so easy to make! It comes together easily with a hand mixer. (See the recipe notes for my red food color preferences and recommendations.) Divide between three 8 or 9 inch pans. I prefer the 8-inch pans because the layers are slightly fluffier.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting
Talk about a southern trifecta:cream cheese, butter, and pecans. You can’t miss! Combine the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl and cream together until smooth. (A hand mixer is fine here, too!) Add the confectioners’ sugar and whip until fluffy. I like to add a little vanilla extract at this point, but it’s optional, because it’s not in the original recipe.
Fill and Frost
Fill the cake layers with the frosting and apply more to the sides and top of the cake. The pecans in the frosting call for big, swooping homestyle swirls. I attempted a crumb coat, but there was no need. Just go ahead and pile it on!
Decorate
I topped the cake with a ring of pecans around the top edge – which can be optional. But it’s a nice touch, and gives a cue to what kind of nuts are swirled into the cream cheese frosting.
Look at that slice! It’s such a beautiful cake for the holidays – and again – not very hard to make! And who doesn’t love a delicious homestyle cake on the Thanksgiving or Christmas menu? It’s the first to disappear, I tell ya!
Grease three 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment rounds. Set aside.
Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Cream cheese frosting
Combine the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer. Cream together until smooth, about 2 minutes. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla extract and beat until fluffy. Fold in the pecans.
Optional toppings
While the frosting is still unset, arrange pecan halves on the top edge of the cake in a zig-zag pattern (or a continuing M or W pattern). You could also place them in a straight line.
Sprinkle chopped pecans around the top edge, filling in any gaps between the pecans.
