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Red Velvet Snack Cake

This single layer Red Velvet Snack Cake packs all of the familiar flavors that we love about red velvet desserts in small batch form. It’s the ideal choice, whether you’re hosting a smaller gathering, holiday brunch or tea time with friends, this snack cake is just the right size.

Red Velvet Snack Cake

Easy Red Velvet Snack Cake Recipe

If you’ve been with me a while, you know of my love for baking. It’s a love that’s been passed down in my family. I can remember seeing my Grandma bake and frost the most beautiful red velvet layer cake you’ve ever seen for our family gatherings. It would always be placed on a pretty cake pedestal for displaying on the dessert table. While I continue to love red velvet layer cake, there are those moments when a smaller batch dessert will do. That’s precisely when you’ll want to serve this single layer cake. How to make a single layer Red Velvet Snack Cake: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

  • Prepare Pan – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz a square 8 x 8 baking pan with baking spray or butter and flour.
  • Toast Pecans – Spread the pecans on a sheet pan. Place into a preheated 350°F oven for 6-8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  • Dry Ingredients – In a large bowl use a whisk to sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • Wet Ingredients – In a separate medium bowl use an electric mixer to combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, red food coloring, vinegar and vanilla.
  • Combine – Beat the wet ingredients gradually into the dry ingredients mixing just until combined. Pour cake batter into the prepared pan. Bounce to remove trapped air bubbles.
  • Bake – Bake per the recipe until the cake springs back when gently touched or a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean. Do not over bake.
  • Cool in the pan then carefully remove from the pan to a baking rack to cool completely.
  • Make Cream Cheese Frosting: In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, salt and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
  • Frost top of the cake and sprinkle with toasted pecans. Cut into squares and enjoy.
How To Make Red Velvet Snack Cake

How to Make the BEST Red Velvet Snack Cake

At times, I like to make a smaller dessert that I can whip-up using pantry ingredients with ease. The bonus of this single layer red velvet cake is, you won’t have have tons of leftovers to store. That’s when I turn to this single layer red velvet snack cake. It’s sprinkle with toasted pecan for a company worthy dessert.

  • Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Red Velvet Snack Cake: All purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, vegetable oil, liquid red food coloring, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.To make the cream cheese frosting you’ll need: Plain cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and heavy cream or milk to thin.
  • You’ll also need toasted chopped pecans for the top.
  • Kitchen tools you’ll need: A hand mixer or a stand mixer, measuring cups and spoons, large bowl, medium bowl, sheet pan for toasting the pecans, rubber spatula and 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 inch square non stick pan.
  • It’s well worth the small amount of effort that it takes to toast the pecans for the depth of flavor. To do so simply spread chopped pecans in a single layer on a baking pan. Toast in a preheated 350°F oven for 6-8 minutes then set aside to cool.
  • No special cake pan is necessary to make this cake it’s baked in a standard 8 x 8 inch square metal pan. You can also bake it in a slightly larger 9 x 9 inch pan. It will be thinner so the bake time may need to be adjusted.
  • The traditional cream cheese frosting made whipping together softened plain cream cheese and butter with vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Use heavy cream or milk to thin it to spreading consistence.  is crowned with a generous sprinkling of our beloved Southern pecans.  It’s company worthy and shows just the right amount of red velvet cake love.
  • Store Red Velvet Snack Cake chilled in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Red Velvet Snack Cake

More Red Velvet Desserts to Make

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

Red Velvet Snack Cake

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Cooling time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: red-velvet-cake-recipe, red-velvet-snack-cake
Servings: 9 Pieces
Calories: 611kcal
Author: Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans toasted
  • 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2/3 cup whole buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp red food coloring
  • 1 tsp distilled white vinegar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • Icing:
  • 1 8 oz package Neufchatel cream cheese softened
  • 6 Tbsp butter softened
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz a square 8 x 8 baking pan with baking spray or butter and flour.
  • Spread the pecans on a sheet pan. Place into a preheated 350°F oven for 6-8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  • In a large bowl use a whisk to sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • In a separate medium bowl use an electric mixer to combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, red food coloring, vinegar and vanilla.
  • Beat the wet ingredients gradually into the dry ingredients mixing just until combined. Increase the speed of the mixer and beat for 1 minute until smooth.
  • Pour cake batter into the prepared pan. Bounce to remove trapped air bubbles.
  • Bake for 30 minutes until the cake springs back when gently touched or a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean. Do not over bake.
  • Cool for 1 hour in the pan then carefully remove from the pan to a baking rack to cool completely.
  • Cream Cheese Frosting: In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, butter, vanilla, salt and powdered sugar for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
  • Frost the cake and sprinkle with toasted pecans. Cut into squares.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 451mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 328IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!

14 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Just perfect for the two of us. Thanks for sharing a smaller size for us retired folks. I have made many of your recipes and all are delicious and so many pantry friendly. Thanks again and have a great day!

  2. 5 stars
    my mom made this cake for me growing and put cook frosting on it and it was so good. with this recipe here I would just double the amount and make it in a 9×13 pan

  3. The next time you make a Red Velvet Snack Cake, please make an Ermine Buttercream Frosting for it. It is the ‘original and authentic’ frosting for a Red Velvet Cake. It’s wonderful!

    1. I need to post a recipe for Ermine buttercream. It’s a very different taste and texture than cream cheese, but a nice change. (For those reading this Ermine is a flour based buttercream that is cooked on the stovetop then whipped)

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