Rich, moist red velvet sheet cake topped with a creamy and tangy cream cheese frosting. This delicious sheet cake is perfect for sharing with a crowd!
Red velvet cake is one of my favorite flavors. I don’t know what it is about it that always has me wanting it over other desserts. There is just something about it that makes me go a little crazy.
Why You Need to Make This Cake
The cake has a really nice texture and crumb. It can hold up to lots of cream cheese frosting. I am not a huge fan of frosting, but I can eat my weight in a good cream cheese frosting. This cake is also pretty moist and manages to keep its moisture for days after you’ve cut into it (so long as you store it right).
It has a nice chocolaty undertone and because of that, has a deeper shade of red that I prefer over the bright, almost neon red that you see in a lot of other cakes.
This sheet cake is great alongside a glass of ice cold milk or a mug of steaming hot coffee or tea. Everyone can enjoy it just how they like it.
How to Make Red Velvet Sheet Cake
Unlike traditional red velvet cakes, we do not mix the vinegar and baking soda together and stir it into the already prepared batter. Instead, this sheet cake is made much like any other sheet cake, the one difference is that we add vinegar, then add baking soda to the wet ingredients.
The reason we do this for this sheet cake is simply because I find it gives you the same results, but also gives the baking soda the added benefit of reacting with the buttermilk as well as the vinegar. It is what gives the cake its wonderful crumb and fluffiness.
To ensure you get a flat surface for your sheet cake, I recommend using an offset spatula to spread the cake evenly throughout. From there, gently coax some of the batter in the middle to the edges. The middle is the area that rises the most, so this helps to even things out just a little more.
What Kind of Cocoa Powder Should I Use for Red Velvet Cake?
Believe it or not, the type of cocoa powder you use in your red velvet sheet cake matters.
There are two main types of cocoa powder: natural and Dutch-processed.
Dutch-processed cocoa powder is alkalized which basically means it is stripped of its acidity and is more neutral when you look at its pH balance. This means Dutch-processed cocoa powder is not be paired with baking soda.
Natural cocoa powder still has its acidity, and can be paired with either baking powder or baking soda.
When making red velvet cake, you should always use natural cocoa powder because we need the acidity to react with the baking soda.
You can read more about the differences between baking powder and baking soda in my mini-guide.
What Kind of Frosting to Eat with Red Velvet Sheet Cake
Traditionally, people serve red velvet sheet cake with cream cheese frosting. It is the type of frosting I chose for this particular cake, too. I love how the tanginess pairs with the cake and will often add extra frosting to my slice.
You can also experiment with other types of frosting though! I love plain vanilla frosting. Strawberry frosting is also fun, and it is so pretty for Valentine’s Day! Chocolate frosting is really, really good with red velvet cake. Nutella is another flavor I love with red velvet, so a creamy Nutella frosting is also recommended for this cake!
Ready for More Red Velvet Recipes?
These Nutella-stuffed red velvet cookies are very popular for a good reason. You might also love trying this red velvet bundt cake. My red velvet churros are a personal favorite. These red velvet thumbprint cookies are just too cute to resist. You have to try these red velvet doughnuts, they are so much fun and a cool twist on this classic. If you want something indulgent, you will love this edible red velvet cookie dough.
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