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.
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 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.
More Red Velvet Desserts to Make
- Red Velvet Cupcakes will be loved by kids of all ages.
- Red Velvet Ice Box Pie is easy to make.
- Red Velvet White Chocolate Cheesecake Trifle is a stunning special occasion dessert.
- Black Velvet Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache will thrill the chocolate fans at your dessert table.
- Double Chocolate Red Velvet Chess Bars are a.k.a. gooey butter cake.
- Homemade Red Velvet Cheesecake is dressed to impress.
- Frosted Red Velvet Brownies melt in your mouth.
- For more red velvet to love, checkout these Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies from Life in the Lofthouse.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Red Velvet Snack Cake
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.
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!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this little cake, thank you so much!
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
Can this recipe be double
It could be doubled. If you’d like to make a red velvet cake you can see that recipe here.
I double recipes that is for 8×8 pan all the time
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!
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)
It is indeed a flour based buttercream.
Yummy looks amazing! Gonna attempt this,this weekend!!!
You are so generous, thanks Melissa!
Yum! Looks wonderful!
Pinning!
Thank you Stephanie! Come visit and I’ll make one.
Looks amazing! I could definitely snack on this cake!