Single Serve Red Velvet Cake (Small Batch)

This Single Serve Red Velvet Cake recipe is a super small batch cake recipe that makes only one small cake with cream cheese frosting for 1-2 people. The cake is moist, tender and topped with an easy creamy frosting. Both the cake batter and frosting can be mixed up by hand without a mixer.

For other single serve dessert recipes, try this Single Serve Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie or Single Serve Brownie.

⭐Why I Love It:

• Super Small Batch Cake Recipe - I love that this single serve cake recipe makes just one very small cake so I can satisfy my sweet craving without having to make an entire large cake and have lots of leftovers. Want to make a small batch cupcake recipe instead? Try this recipe for Single Serve Vanilla Cupcakes or Single Serve Chocolate Cupcakes that makes just two cupcakes!
• No Mixer Needed - Because it's such a small amount of batter and frosting, you can easily mix it all up by hand instead of needing to use an electric or stand mixer.
• Tender and Moist with Cream Cheese Frosting - The cake texture is super fluffy and moist and the creamy cream cheese frosting on top is the perfect pairing (also try it on this Single Serve Carrot Cake)! If you love the red velvet flavor, also check out this Single Serve Red Velvet Cookie recipe!

🥘Ingredients

• Oil - You'll want to use a neutral oil like canola oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil. Oil helps keep the cake super moist!
• White Granulated Sugar
• Egg White - Using only the egg white makes the cake nice and fluffy.
• Distilled White Vinegar - You only use a little bit! It both gives the cake a little tang and also reacts with the baking soda to give it its rise.
• Buttermilk - This helps add both moisture and a slight tang to the cake. If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own by mixing a little vinegar with regular milk and letting it sit for a few minutes.
• Vanilla Extract - For flavor!
• Red Food Coloring - You'll need this if you want it to have the classic red color. Historically, red velvet cake got its red color from the reaction of the buttermilk/vinegar with the cocoa powder but today's cocoa powder is usually alkalized so this reaction doesn't happen anymore. You can skip the food coloring, if you prefer, and the cake will just have a slight brown color from the cocoa powder.
• All-Purpose Flour - When measuring flour, make sure to use the 'spoon and level' method. This is where you spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off the top. Instead of dipping the measuring cup directly into the flour bin which can lead to over measuring.
• Baking Soda - This is the leavener to help the cake rise.
• Kosher Salt - I like the Diamond Kosher Salt. A small amount of salt is so important to balance the sweetness in cookies. If you use table salt, then I would cut the amount by half.
• For the Cream Cheese Frosting - Softened Butter, Cream Cheese, Vanilla Extract, and Powdered Sugar. If you want to make a regular chocolate or vanilla frosting, you can use the single serve frosting recipes in the Single Serve Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting or Single Serve White Cake with Vanilla Frosting.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

🔪How To Make A Single Serve Red Velvet Cake

This recipe for a Single Serve Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is easy to mix up with no mixer and bakes in a ramekin or other small baking dish. For another individual red velvet cake, but made in the microwave, try this Red Velvet Mug Cake!

💭Recipe Tips

• Ramekin Size - I used one large ramekin (7-10 ounces and ~3.5-4 inches wide) but you can use a bigger ramekin or smaller ramekins and just adjust the bake time. 
• Don't Over Bake - The key to a moist cake is to not over bake it! Cake is done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs and if you poke the top then it slowly bounces back.
• Softened Butter and Cream Cheese - It's important to use room temperature butter and cream cheese for the frosting so it can be easily mixed into the other ingredients. If your butter is too cold, it won't incorporate well.
• Use 'Spoon and Level' Method When Measuring Flour - When measuring flour, make sure to use the 'spoon and level' method. This is where you spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off the top. Instead of dipping the measuring cup directly into the flour bin which can lead to over measuring.

👩‍🍳Recipe FAQs

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