This gluten free red velvet cake is so soft, moist and tender with the most beautifully delicious cream cheese frosting. If you think you don't like red velvet cake, try this one. You'll change your mind the second that first bite hits your lips.
UPDATE: This red velvet cake recipe was originally posted on February 10, 2021 and has been updated from my previous recipe to a cake with a softer, more plush crumb and an extraordinarily amazing cream cheese frosting.
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I never really got a hankerin' (southern slang!) for red velvet cake until a few years back. Growing up I don't recall it ever being a flavor of cake that even had a boxed mix on the grocery store shelf. The first time I ever saw red velvet cake was on Steel Magnolias (the movie about southern ladies starring Julia Roberts).
However, I've come to really love red velvet cake, mainly because it's different than all the other cakes and has that slight tang to it, but still has a hint of a chocolate flavor. The first recipe I posted was really good, but when I read through the red velvet cake bake off on The Pancake Princess I knew I just had to try the winning recipe. And it did NOT disappoint! It's definitely the best red velvet cake I've ever had and I'm sure you will agree.
Ingredients for Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake
- Kim's gluten free all purpose flour blend - a store bought blend may be substituted, but please note this has not been tested.
- Neutral oil - canola, vegetable oil, avocado, or grapeseed. Even melted coconut oil would be fantastic here also (although coconut oil may make the cake a little less moist).
- Cocoa powder - people are often surprised to hear that red velvet cake is actually a very light chocolate cake. Only a little amount of unsweetened cocoa is needed.
- Buttermilk - the buttermilk provides the tang, yes, but it also reacts with the lifting agents in the cake to make the best texture. That's why it's called "velvet" cake.
- White vinegar - also reacts with the buttermilk and the baking soda in the recipe, all just another measure to ensure the best texture and taste possible.
- Coffee - this is the "secret" ingredient that brings out the chocolate flavor.
- Red food coloring - while you can certainly make a red velvet cake with all natural coloring (such as beet juice or beet powder), you won't get that intensely red color unless you use red gel food coloring.
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese - there are two types of frostings that are typical with red velvet cake. One is a flour-based frosting called Ermine and the other is cream cheese. I chose cream cheese frosting for this cake, specifically Divas Can Cook's cream cheese frosting because it is absolutely DIVINE!
- Butter - while Divas Can Cook's cream cheese frosting uses butter, I wanted to make it my own slightly by browning the butter. Because if anything with butter is better, anything with browned butter is NEXT LEVEL!
How to Make This Cake
Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans and set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Whisk or sift together all of the dry ingredients and set aside.
Beat all of the wet ingredients until fully combined.
Add the red food coloring and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.
Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached. Let cool in pans until warm and remove cakes to cool completely on wire racks.
Beat cream cheese and browned butter on medium speed until fully incorporated and smooth.
Add powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth and fluffy.
Place one cake layer on a cake plate or cake stand and add roughly ¾ cup of frosting on top. Spread to edges and add another cake layer; repeat. Add final layer and frost cake top and sides; serve.
Red Velvet Cake FAQs
For the brightest red color, you will need to use red food coloring. Natural food coloring (made with beets) will give a muted red color to the cake, but it will still be a delicious cake.
Yes, you can. You will just need to bake the cakes for longer. I recommend adding 5 minutes to the bake time and check with a toothpick at that time. If it comes out wet, continue to bake for another 2 minutes and check again.
Once frosted, it must be stored in the refrigerator as the cream cheese frosting needs to be refrigerated.
More Gluten Free Cakes to Try
- gluten free banana cupcakes with peanut butter and candied bacon
- gluten free caramel cake
- gluten free hostess with the mostest cupcakes
- gluten free chocolate chunk cookie cakes
- gluten free carrot cake with browned butter frosting
- perfect gluten free vanilla cupcakes
Sprinkles or no, this gluten free red velvet cake is sure to bring smiles to your significant other on Valentine's Day, or any day of the year 🙂
Best Ever Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups (280g) Kim's gluten free all purpose flour blend
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 cups (210ml) neutral oil (canola or vegetable) (or you could try melted coconut oil)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups (260ml) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- red food coloring (3 tablespoon liquid or a few squirts of gel)
- ½ cup (120ml) plain hot coffee
Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 8oz packages (32oz or 904g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (226g) butter
- 1 lb (454g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease and flour (or line with parchment) three 8-inch cake pans and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together gluten free flour blend, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine the sugar and oil in a large bowl and blend. Add eggs, buttermilk, red food coloring, and vanilla and mix well. Stir in the coffee and vinegar.
- Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, a little at a time, until combined fully. The batter will be thin.
- Divide the batter evenly into each pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it.
- Remove from the oven and place the cakes on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the cake pans and allow to cool completely.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium skillet or small saucepan, add the butter over medium heat (using a skillet will go faster). Melt butter, stirring frequently, until the bubbles begin to slow and it starts to foam up on top. You will want to keep a close eye on it at this point as it will go from brown to burnt in no time. When you start seeing streaks of brown in the butter as you're stirring, remove it from the heat and pour all of it (including the browned bits on the bottom) into a medium bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a handheld mixer), beat cream cheese until smooth. Add cooled brown butter and mix until both are well combined. Slowly add powdered sugar and continue beating until completely smooth.
- Stack and frost the cooled cakes with the cream cheese frosting as desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve (remove from refrigerator 20-30 minutes before serving to bring back to room temperature)
Notes
Cake recipe adapted from Divas Can Cook's Best Southern Red Velvet Cake Recipe.
Michele says
Can I make and freeze? Doing a party and need my cakes made already!
Kim says
Absolutely! Wrap in a couple layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
Pam Vasconcellos says
Another amazing recipe Kim! thank you!!! I made them into cupcakes for a birthday party. Regular cupcakes and jumbo, 25 - 30 minutes to cook at 325. The icing is incredible, wowza! Have you ever thought about doing a subscription? I know I would happily pay for your recipes. Every single one turns out perfectly. My gluten eating coworkers and friends love everything I make too. Thank you!
Kim says
I hadn't thought about it, Pam, but maybe I'll have to look into it.
So glad you liked these and that they worked as cupcakes! I appreciate your continued support 🥰
Yessica says
Hello! Thank you so much for sharing your super delicious recipes, we are a gift fan of the sourdough GF breads, I make them all the time.
I did tried this recipe and it tasted delicious but it was in the dried side, any tips on how can I improve this, we will love it if it can be more moist.
Thank you
Kim says
Really? I found this cake to be super moist and not dry at all. Did you by chance use a homemade buttermilk version or a low-fat buttermilk? To me, there is nothing quite like full-fat buttermilk for making baked goods super soft and moist. What flour blend did you use? Both of these factors could affect the cake's moisture level.
Carla says
Thank you for a delicious recipe. I made this for a friends party and everyone loved it. It did sink a bit in the middle, just iced it anyway and no one knew. Have sent your link to other friends. Thanks for a very good moist cake recipe. Will definitely make again.
Casey says
Can this recipe be used for cupcakes? Any changes needed?
MARSHA J STONE says
Hi Kim,
My daughter found a different red velvet cake recipe on your site on 11/7/2019. It was the best recipe! Why has it changed so drastically?
Kim says
I'm so sorry you don't like the new one! It wasn't doing well on my site, so I decided to update it with an entirely new recipe. But if you want the old recipe, it's still on foodsocial here: https://foodsocial.io/recipe/gluten-free-red-velvet-cake/
Susan says
I’m not sure if I’m the only one that is noticing this, but you list on the ingredients 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon baking powder. On the instructions it only list adding the baking soda. I am assuming this is just an error and it should be added at the same time the baking powder?
Kim says
Oh, yes, thank you so much for catching that!
Tricia B says
Hi Kim,
Not sure if you’ll see this. But I’m planning to bake this cake this week. In the recipe card it says 3 8 inch pans. But in the description above it says 3 9 inch pans. Will either work? Thank you.
Kim says
I'm sorry, Tricia. It's supposed to be 3 8-inch pans, not 9 inch. I'll correct that now. You are about the only person to read the actual blog post and not just jump to the recipe 🥰
Tricia B says
Thanks for clarifying Kim. I’m going to try it in 7” pans and use the extra batter for a tiny cake or some cupcakes. I’ll let you know how it goes. Grateful to you
Tricia Bailey says
Wanted to let you know that this worked perfectly to make 3 - 7” cakes and 1 - 5 inch cake. My friends liked it so much they’ve requested it for their wedding cake
Tamara says
I love your site. I get so many compliments from using your recipes. I want to make red velvet cake balls. Would you recommend still using the 3 round pans, or could I use a sheet pan? If yes to a sheet pan, which size? Thanks again for the great recipes.
Beverly says
This seems like an awful large amount of oil and butter for a chocolate cake with 2 1/4 cups of flour.
Is this be correct? Could this be why some people have made the recipe and the cake fell?
Please let me know. as I want to make it for a granddaughter's birthday.
All of your yeast recipes are my go to recipes. We call the rolls THE Thanksgiving Rolls even when we serve them at all the other times of the year!
Jennifer says
I tried cupcakes and they began rising and then deflated in the middle. I bake all the time. I can’t figure out what i could have done wrong. I am afraid to admit but i actually tried making these twice and the same thing happened both times. F you have any tips, let me know. This was for my daughters birthday and i was testing the recipe first.
Kim says
It could be a number of reasons, the first of which (that I always think of) is underbaking. But overmixing, undermixing, and overfilling are some of the other reasons they could collapse in the middle.
Try increasing the temp by 25 degrees to 375 and begin checking at 15-20 minutes for doneness (toothpick test, top springs back, domed). I haven't tried this cake as cupcakes yet, so I can't say for certain the temp change will work. When I'm recipe testing, I fill one cupcake liner with the batter, bake it (in this case at 375) and see what happens. If that doesn't work, I adjust from there. I'm sorry I can't be of more help without knowing how this batter reacts as cupcakes, but if I ever get a chance to test it, I'll be sure to add my findings to the recipe 😊
Bonnie says
This happened to me as well... I just made them today. I don't think they were undermixed. I adjusted the temp per Kim's suggestions, same issue. Not sure.
Shari says
Hi Kim, these are awesome . Made them for my husbands Birthday this weekend and tried one when it was still warm before frosting them. WOW, they don’t even need frosting, my husband can’t believe there GF. Thank you for another amazing recipe. You’re the best!!
Shari says
Oops, should’ve clarified, made cupcakes out of this recipe.
Kim says
Thanks, Shari!!! So glad you liked them (and glad they worked as cupcakes, too)!!
Diane M says
Can you say moist, delicious and I have not even added the frosting yet! I made this recipe in jumbo muffin pans and they turned out so good! Another excellent recipe Kim! I am so thankful for finding your site and your flour blends along with all these fabulous recipes❤️❤️❤️
Kim says
Awe, thanks so much, Diane 😍😍😍
Cyndi in NC says
Hi Kim, I'm sorry to send this to you from here but I couldn't find an email address. Do you, or anyone that reads this, how I can get rid of all the adds that pop up? I can hardly read anything clearly without something on the left side or the bottom. Any ideas?
BTW, I will have to make this cake as my husband love Red velvet cake!! You're the best GF blog I know. Thanks for all you do to bring a smile to my face regularly!!
Kim says
Hi, Cyndi! I'm so sorry you're having issues with the ads. Ads are the only way I make any money to keep this blog going (you'd be surprised at how expensive it is to have a blog), but I think if you downloaded an ad blocker it would work to keep the ads at least to a minimum.
I hope you and your family are doing well 🙂
Megan Brummer says
Oh my goodness. I love your site!
Do you think this would bake well as cupcakes too? What adjustments do you think I should make if I try?
Kim says
Thank you, Megan!!
Yes, I think they would be perfect as cupcakes! I would bake them at the same temp, but begin checking for doneness at around 15-20 minutes. When they spring back when lightly touched, they'll be done 🙂
Jesse says
Would it be possible to swap some of the oil for butter? I’ve had good luck in the past using both in a recipe, but I’m not confident enough to make swaps right off the bat.
Kim says
Yes, I think so. I do the same sometimes, too. I would do maybe 1 cup of oil and 2/3 cup of butter.
Cecília says
Thank you for all the recipes that you share.
I am intolerant to gluten and láctose. What can I use instead of butter milk on the red velvet cake?
Thank you so much
Kim says
Almond milk?