Natural Red Velvet Cake Recipe 

Medium Brush Stroke

This dye-free red velvet cake is delicious and colorful! Its color comes from fresh beets. They're pureed and added into the batter to make red velvet without dye. Most significantly, beets taste nothing!  

Red Velvet Cake – 2 1/4 cups (290g) all-purpose flour – 1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch – 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder – 1 tbsp dry milk powder (optional) – 1 1/2 tsp baking powder – 1/2 tsp kosher salt – 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, room temp – 1/2 cup (100g) canola or vegetable oil – 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar, divided – 3 large egg – 2 tsp vanilla extract – 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar – 1/2 cup (125g) whole milk – 1 cup (240g) beet puree Cream Cheese Frosting – 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter, room temp – 12 oz full fat cream cheese, room temp – 5 cups (500g) powdered sugar – 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredient

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Beet Puree  First, purée beets. Beets should be stemmed and rinsed. Cut beets in half and put in a pot. 

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Step 1

Instructions

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Fill the pot with water two inches above the beets. Mix in lemon juice. Heat to boiling, then simmer. Beets should be fork-tender after 30–35 minutes of simmering. 

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Step 2

Transfer warm beets to a cutting board or plate (save the boiling water). Put the beets in a food processor after forking off the skins. 

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Step 3

Blitz the beets with 1/4 cup of the remaining water until apple sauce-like. Check for big clumps in the puree with a spoon. Make sure the beet puree is 1 cup in a measuring glass. 

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Step 4

Red Velvet Cake  Preheat oven to 350F and grease and line two 8- or 9-inch cake pans. Wrap pans in damp cake strips if available. 

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Step 5

Add milk and vinegar to a measuring glass. Set aside. Mix flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, milk powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium basin. Set aside. 

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Step 6

Mix the butter and 1 cup of sugar in a separate dish with a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Mix the oil and remaining 1 cup sugar until smooth. 

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Step 7

Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla and beet puree. Mix half the dry ingredients, then the milk and vinegar combination, then the rest. 

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Step 8

Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake 8" pans 35-40 minutes, 9" pans 30-35 minutes. Their readiness is indicated by a clean toothpick with a few moist crumbs. 

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Step 9

Cool the cakes thoroughly before assembling.You can refrigerate cakes overnight and frost the next day. After cooling at room temperature, wrap each cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate. 

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Step 10

Frosting: cream cheese Cool the cakes and create icing. Mix butter in a large basin with a hand or stand mixer and paddle attachment until creamy.  

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Step 11

Floral Separator

Also see

Moist Olive Oil Cake Recipe