Martha Stewart Red-Velvet Sheet Cake is an easy one pan dessert with Dutch process cocoa and sour cream for a fudgy crumb. Less food coloring gives it a deeper red, and tangy cream cheese frosting makes this a go-to for holiday baking and potluck tables.
Spread the batter in a sheet pan, skip the fussy layers, and bring it to a birthday party or weekend dinner. Beat the eggs and sugar until thick and pale, because that air is what keeps the cocoa crumb tender inside.
Martha Stewart Red-Velvet Sheet Cake
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings30
minutes35
minutes555
kcalDark, fudgy cocoa crumb topped with swoops of tangy cream cheese frosting. Deeper and more velvety than the usual bright red, with sour cream that keeps every bite moist.
Ingredients
- For the Cake:
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more, softened, for pan
1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon red food coloring
2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste or extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- For the Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or paste
Directions
- Prep the pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 9-by-13-inch or 8-by-12-inch baking pan with butter. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides. Butter parchment.
- Mix dry, beat eggs and sugar: Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Combine eggs and granulated sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until thick and pale, about 4 minutes.
- Combine the batter: Add flour mixture; beat just to combine. Add butter, food coloring, and vanilla; beat to combine. Add sour cream; beat until smooth.
- Bake the cake: Scrape batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with a spatula. Bake until top springs back when lightly touched and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes (for 9-by-13-inch) or about 40 minutes (for 8-by-12).
- Cool the cake: Let cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Using parchment overhangs, lift out of pan; let cool completely on rack. Cake can be made to this point and stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, up to 1 day.
- Make the frosting: Beat together cream cheese, butter, and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Spread frosting over cake.
FAQs
Can I make this red velvet sheet cake ahead of time?
The unfrosted cake keeps at room temperature, double wrapped in plastic, for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw a frozen cake overnight in the fridge before you frost it. The cream cheese frosting can be made separately and refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days, then whipped smooth before spreading.
Can I make this cake without a stand mixer?
Use a whisk or wooden spoon to beat the eggs and sugar until thick and pale, which takes a few solid minutes by hand. Stir in the dry ingredients, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula so no dry pockets hide. Then mix in the melted butter, food coloring, vanilla, and sour cream until smooth.
Can I use gel food coloring instead of liquid?
Gel is much more concentrated than liquid, so start with 1/2 teaspoon and work up to 1 teaspoon until the shade looks right. The recipe was developed with liquid coloring, so expect a slightly different hue with gel. Either way, this cake uses less coloring than most red velvet recipes, so the finished color leans deeper and more velvety.
How should I store leftover red velvet sheet cake?
Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days. Press the wrap snug against any cut edges to keep them from drying out. Let the cake sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving, since cold cream cheese frosting is stiff and the cake tastes better at room temp.
What is the best cocoa powder for red velvet cake?
Dutch process cocoa is what the recipe calls for, and it matters because its lower acidity gives the cake a smoother, darker crumb. Natural cocoa reacts differently with the baking powder and can throw off the rise. Brands like Droste or Valrhona work well, but any Dutch process cocoa from the baking aisle will do the job.
