The Best Red Velvet Snack Cake Recipe

Sometimes a whole slice of cake can be too much, that’s where this small red velvet cake comes in handy. It’s just enough cake so everyone can enjoy a little piece and not be too full. Follow along with this mini red velvet cake recipe to find out how to make it!

Since you are here and love red velvet desserts, check out these Easy Crumbl Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies, this Small Batch Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe, or these Cheesecake Swirled Red Velvet Brownies.

This is the Best Red Velvet Snack Cake Recipe!

Most great red velvet cakes should have a moist texture, rich flavor with subtle hints of cocoa, and a thick cream cheese frosting.

What sets this recipe apart, however, is that it is foolproof. With clear instructions and simple ingredients, this recipe is user-friendly and guarantees success, making it accessible even for novice bakers.

On top of that, this recipe is fairly time efficient which makes it the ideal choice for busy individuals who crave a homemade, gourmet-style treat.

Ingredients for this Red Velvet Snack Cake Recipe

Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the detailed ingredient measurements. 

• All-purpose Flour: gives the cake its structure. For best results, measure your flour in grams with a scale. If you’re using measuring cups, scoop the flour into the measuring cup with a spoon instead using the measuring cup to scoop the flour. Level it off once it’s full.
• Granulated Sugar: sweetens this single layer cake perfectly.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: help this fluffy cake rise and be airier.
• Salt: helps balance out the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
• Cocoa Powder: makes the cake batter have a subtle chocolate cake flavor.
• Vegetable Oil: moistens the cake and helps give it a more tender crumb.
• Buttermilk: is a key ingredient and essential in that perfect red velvet flavor.
• Egg: adds moisture and structure support.
• Red Food Coloring: helps dye the cake batter to give it a better hue and more attractive color. If using gel food coloring, use less. If using liquid food coloring, use more.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: goes great with the chocolate flavor.
• White Vinegar: Along with the buttermilk, the vinegar is a key ingredient in giving red velvet cake its iconic flavor.
• Cream Cheese: Pull the cream cheese out of the fridge prior to preparing the batter so that it softens.
• Unsalted Butter: Similar to the cream cheese, allow it to soften before starting this recipe.
• Powdered Sugar: is for sweetening the frosting.

How to Make this Red Velvet Snack Cake Recipe

Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the full step-by-step instructions! 

Prepare and Bake the Cake

1. Preheat your oven and line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with a strip of parchment paper, and grease and flour it.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, egg, red food coloring, vanilla extract, and white vinegar.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
5. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl clean with a rubber spatula.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack to allow it to cool completely to room temperature.

Make the Frosting

1. In a small bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the powdered sugar into the butter mixture in batches, beating well after each addition.
3. Add the vanilla extract and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
4. Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the cream cheese frosting over the top with an offset spatula or butter knife.
5. Optionally, you can decorate with additional red velvet crumbs or heart-shaped sprinkles.

Why You Need to Make this Recipe!

• This cake is perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, birthdays or any other special occasion.
• It only requires simple ingredients that are easy to find at a grocery store.
• This cake has the best flavor and a delicious hint of cocoa that will be a treat to your taste buds.

Frequently asked questions – FAQ

How to Store Leftover Red Velvet Snack Cakes

Put your leftover cake pieces into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to one week.

What is Red Velvet?

Old-school red velvet cake was made with unprocessed cocoa powder that was more acidic than the regular cocoa we use today. This acidic cocoa would give off a perfect red color that would naturally dye the cake.

Even though we use different cocoa powder than what was used before, we still try to stay true to the original recipe by adding in acidic ingredients to recreate that unique red velvet flavor and texture.

Can I Use Cake Flour Instead of All-Purpose Flour?

You absolutely can! Cake flour will make your cupcakes have even better texture by giving them a finer, more even crumb and enhanced tenderness. All-purpose flour still works great so no need to worry about this.

We used all-purpose flour instead of cake flour for this recipe because that’s what I had on hand and figured you do too!

What is the Difference Between Red Velvet and Chocolate?

Even though red velvet does include cocoa powder and has a chocolate flavor, it’s nowhere near the potency and strength of normal chocolate cake. Chocolate cake usually has multiple layers of chocolate flavor, including melted chocolate chips sometimes and chocolate frosting.

Red velvet on the other hand, simply combines cocoa powder with other key flavors such as the vanilla extract and buttermilk to get that iconic red velvet flavor.

The Best Red Velvet Snack Cake Recipe

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