Simple and perfect – this red velvet sheet cake recipe makes a cake that is dense and moist and is topped with a decadent cookies and cream frosting. This cake proves that simple can be amazing!
It’s a pretty exciting time here on Taste and Tell. What started as a fun feature – a yearly Red Velvet Week – back in 2011, turned into a whole cookbook, dedicated to all things red velvet.
I’m still pinching myself and wondering if this is real life.
The original release date of the book was supposed to be today, so I had planned on doing my 2014 Red Velvet Week this week. Well, as luck would have it, the book was released a week early, so I’m not technically starting Red Velvet Week the day that the book was released. But now it’s time to party!!
So this week is going to be a fun one. 5 all new red velvet recipes, not included in the book, plus a chance to win a copy of the book every day. When I told my mom I was going to do this, she asked how I was able to come up with another 5 ideas. Truth be told, I had more than 5 ideas, so I’ve got some saved up now for Red Velvet Week 2015! š
I didn’t realize how different writing for the blog and writing a cookbook would be. There is a lot less pressure on the blog – if photos are bad, I can go back in and re-do them. If an ingredient is forgotten (I hate it when that happens), it’s not hard to fix. But with a book? It’s permanent. No going back. What is printed will be in print for the rest of forever. So yeah, just a little bit of pressure!
While I love every single recipe in the book, and I don’t have any regrets at all, I do have to admit that I wish I would have come up with this sheet cake recipe for the book. Because I am going to go ahead and say it – this is the perfect red velvet cake.
I was inspired by the recipe I made from Christy’s cookbook – The Girl Who Ate Everything. The sheet cake recipe I made from her cookbook had the most amazing texture, and I knew I had to try to red velvetize it. It took a few tries before I found that it was the best in a 9×13-inch pan, and it needed buttermilk to give it that recognizable red velvet flavor. I was totally smitten with the final product. It’s not a light and fluffy cake, but red velvet cake shouldn’t be. It’s definitely more of a dense cake, it’s super moist and has a true velvet crumb. If you think you don’t like red velvet, you should try this sheet cake recipe!
This is a simple looking cake – it’s no 4 layer cake like I have in the book. But I think part of the charm of this sheet cake recipe is it’s simplicity. I have found that although I love a showstopper, the simple cakes like this one are the ones that get made the most. This is a cake that you could whip up on Sunday night to share with your family.
My original plan was to just make a cream cheese frosting to top the cake, but last minute, I decided to throw in some crushed cookies. I loved the little something extra the frosting gave the cake – it was a perfect companion!
Make sure to check back in all week for some fun new red velvet recipes. And a chance to win a copy of my book every day this week. Or if you want to just buy it, (you know you want to!) ;), you can buy it on Amazon.
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Simple and perfect – this red velvet sheet cake recipe makes a cake that is dense and moist and is topped with a decadent cookies and cream frosting. This cake proves that simple can be amazing!
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 4 oz butter
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 24 Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (Oreos) – about 2/3 package
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ĀŗF. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- In a saucepan, combine the butter and the buttermilk and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour and cocoa. Stir in the sugar. Add in the eggs, sour cream, red food coloring, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Mix to combine.
- Pour the boiling butter/buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture, a little at a time, stirring constantly. The batter will be very thin. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake the cake for 25-28 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- To make the frosting, beat together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar a little at a time. Beat for 2-3 minutes.
- Put the cookies in a large zip top bag and use a mallet to crush and break them up. Stir the cookie pieces into the frosting and frost the cake. Cut into slices to serve.
Notes
cake inspired by The Girl Who Ate Everything Cookbook
Past Red Velvet Recipes:
Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes
Around the Web:
Red Velvet Cheesecake Swirl Brownies from Sally’s Baking Addiction
Whoopie Pie Cupcakes with Red Velvet Frosting from Cookies and Cups
Red Velvet Truffle Bark from Something Swanky
Becky (The Cookie Rookie) says
October 7, 2014 at 9:04 amCONGRATS!!! I cant wait to buy this cookbook! Red Velvet is my fave. Awesome job!!
Catherine says
October 7, 2014 at 1:12 pmCongratulations!! That is quite an accomplishment and a labor of love.
The cake looks wonderful. Blessings, Catherine
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
October 7, 2014 at 2:21 pmLove that you paired red velvet with a cookies and cream frosting! This looks so good!
Emily says
October 7, 2014 at 5:18 pmMy teeth ache just looking at this recipe . . . but in a really good way. Holy cow. YUM!
Angelyn @ Everyday Desserts says
October 7, 2014 at 6:55 pmcongratulations on your beautiful book! by the way, that frosting looks outstanding!
ashley@blondegirlcravings says
October 7, 2014 at 7:43 pmHoly smokes. This looks FANTASTIC!! I love the idea of some texture in the frosting from the cookies. Pinned!
Yvette (Muy Bueno) says
October 7, 2014 at 10:40 pmWow, big congrats on your book — I’m so excited for you! Best wishes on it all. Can’t wait to see a copy. And this cake…Wowza!
Nutmeg Nanny says
October 8, 2014 at 7:08 amCongratulations on the book! This cake looks crazy delicious. That frosting is calling my name.
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
October 8, 2014 at 7:27 amSo excited for you!! Huge congrats š
Cookin Canuck says
October 8, 2014 at 8:59 amI’ll bet that frosting is absolutely amazing! And congratulations on your book, Deb…what a fantastic accomplishment!
Joanne says
October 8, 2014 at 8:02 pmI can’t ever get enough of red velvet, and I am SO EXCITED to get my hands on your cookbook!! This cake is also going to make it’s way into my life and my belly.I can feel it.
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
October 8, 2014 at 9:10 pmI’m so excited to dig into your book Deborah! Red Velvet RULES!
Chels R. says
October 10, 2014 at 7:46 pmI love sheet cakes! I think this is awesome! Josh has already done some cooking from the cookbook this week cuz I’m recovering from surgery and what I’ve tasted is out of this world good! Again, I am so proud of you! You did a great job!!
Deborah says
October 12, 2014 at 12:05 amThanks, Chels – that means a lot!!
Brynn says
February 22, 2015 at 12:47 pmI was thinking about doing these as cupcakes. Do you think it would work or should I use your red velvet cupcake recipe and then add on the cookies and cream frosting?
Deborah says
February 22, 2015 at 3:44 pmI’m not sure this recipe would convert well to cupcakes. I would probably recommend using the red velvet cupcake recipe and this frosting.
Brynn says
February 28, 2015 at 11:47 amSo I tried both. I made the sheet cake into cupcakes and used your original cupcake recipe as well. I have to say, the sheet cake made excellent cupcakes! I almost liked them better… they weren’t quite as dense. I know everyone has different palates though. Both were incredible! And both icings were outstanding! Thanks for the recipes!!
Deborah says
March 8, 2015 at 1:32 pmI’m so glad to hear that it translated well to cupcakes. I need to try it now!! š
Lucy says
June 21, 2016 at 2:53 pmI had the same question and you answered it ..thanks! Just wondering did you use All purpose flour or cake flour? Thank you!
Tweeka B says
June 15, 2016 at 9:11 amThis recipe did not specify AP Flour or Cake Flour.
Since AP is what I had on hand, that is what I used.
Hopefully it still comes out tasting good š but would be helpful to know.
Deborah says
June 15, 2016 at 7:20 pmIt’s all-purpose. š
Nancy P says
November 24, 2016 at 1:04 pmIs there a way to double the recipe? I need a really big sheet cake! This looks awesome!
Debra Y says
February 3, 2017 at 1:11 pmHello! So with the cookies & cream frosting what does 4oz butter translate to. 4 Tbsp?I’m also planning on using half regular Oreos and half red velvet Oreos and a little more food coloring to make it a pale pink. Thanks.
Deborah says
February 8, 2017 at 9:43 pm4 ounces of butter would be 1/2 cup, so 8 tablespoons. Love the idea of using red velvet Oreos!