Description
Juneteenth Red Velvet Cake is more than a dessert, it’s a rich cultural symbol. With its signature red hue, this Southern classic is often served to commemorate Juneteenth, representing resilience, pride, and the bloodshed of those who fought for freedom. Moist, velvety, and topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting, this cake is both a culinary and historical tribute.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 tbsp red food coloring
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white vinegar
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Preheat & Prep
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt.
3. Combine the Wet Ingredients
- In another bowl, beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, red food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar until fully combined.
4. Make the Batter
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing until smooth.
- Don’t overmix — just until no flour streaks remain.
5. Bake
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
- Bake for 28–32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
6. Make the Frosting
- Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
- Add vanilla and salt.
- Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth and spreadable.
7. Assemble the Cake
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread frosting evenly.
- Top with the second layer and frost the top and sides.
- Optional: Decorate with red sprinkles or cake crumbs.
Notes
- Serve on a red cake stand or with red napkins to symbolize the heritage and theme.
- Pair with other traditional Juneteenth foods like collard greens, BBQ, sweet tea, or watermelon.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 39 g
- Sodium: 290 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg