Red velvet cake, with its vibrant color and rich, velvety texture, is a beloved classic in the world of desserts. Whether you’re baking a red velvet cake from scratch or picking one up from your favorite bakery, the frosting you choose plays a crucial role in elevating its flavor and creating a delectable treat that will leave your taste buds dancing with delight.
But with a myriad of frosting options available, how do you know which one will truly complement the unique qualities of red velvet cake? Fear not, as we’re here to guide you through the art of frosting pairing!
In this article, we’ll explore a curated list of the very best sweet frostings that harmonize flawlessly with red velvet cake, creating an irresistible combination that will satisfy any sweet tooth.
Frosting Options for Red Velvet Cake
Buttercream Frosting
The smooth and creamy texture of buttercream complements the tender crumb of red velvet cake, while its subtle sweetness enhances the cake’s delicate cocoa flavor.
Here’s a delightful recipe from Two Sisters Crafting’s website for their Buttercream Frosting. The recipe itself is refreshingly uncomplicated, ensuring that anyone can master it. With just a few simple ingredients—butter, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and a touch of milk—this buttercream frosting promises to impress.
They stress the importance of using butter that’s slightly softened and adjusting the vanilla to suit your taste preferences. There’s also a step-by-step tutorial on achieving the ideal consistency for your frosting. This versatile buttercream delight is the perfect choice for frosting an array of cakes and cupcakes.
Marshmallow Frosting
The fluffy and light texture of marshmallow frosting adds an element of whimsy to red velvet cake. Its subtle sweetness and subtle vanilla flavor create a delightful contrast to the cake’s rich cocoa notes.
This Marshmallow Frosting recipe from Lil’ Luna is a delightful treat that’s perfect for topping any type of cake or cupcake. It’s a homemade frosting that only requires four simple ingredients: butter, marshmallow fluff, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
The recipe is easy to follow and doesn’t involve any complicated steps or ingredients. The result is a fluffy, sweet, and creamy frosting that’s sure to be a hit at any gathering. The author also provides useful tips and tricks to ensure your frosting comes out perfect every time.
Mocha Frosting
The combination of coffee and chocolate in mocha frosting adds a decadent twist to red velvet cake. The bittersweet notes of the coffee complement the cocoa flavors, resulting in a luscious and indulgent pairing.
This Mocha Frosting recipe from Preppy Kitchen is a truly decadent treat that pairs perfectly with any chocolate cake or cupcake. The frosting is flavored with a combination of cocoa and espresso powders, which gives it a rich and deep mocha flavor.
The recipe is simple to follow and requires only a few basic ingredients: butter, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, vanilla, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. The author also provides helpful tips and answers to frequently asked questions to ensure your frosting turns out perfectly.
Nutella Frosting
With its creamy hazelnut and chocolate goodness, Nutella frosting brings a delightful nutty flavor to red velvet cake. The velvety texture of the cake is perfectly complemented by the rich and smooth Nutella.
This Nutella Frosting recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction is a creamy and delightful frosting. Best of all, it requires only six ingredients: unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, Nutella, heavy cream or milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
The frosting boasts a rich and indulgent texture, complemented by the delightful blend of lighter chocolate notes from the Nutella, along with the irresistible essence of hazelnut and vanilla flavors.
Peanut Butter Frosting
The nutty and savory notes of peanut butter frosting create a delightful contrast to the sweetness of red velvet cake. This combination is a dream come true for peanut butter lovers.
Sugar Spun Run’s Peanut Butter Frosting recipe yields a silky smooth and perfectly pipeable frosting, serving as the ideal complement to any cake or cupcake. Requiring only six ingredients – unsalted butter, creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and milk – this recipe proves to be remarkably easy to make.
Raspberry Frosting
The bright and tangy flavor of raspberry frosting adds a burst of freshness to red velvet cake. The tartness of the raspberries complements the cake’s sweetness, creating a tantalizing flavor combination.
This Raspberry Buttercream Frosting recipe from Two Sisters Crafting is a delightful and fruity frosting that’s perfect for any cake or cupcake. The recipe is nice and short: raspberry purée, butter, and powdered sugar.
The frosting is light and fresh with just a hint of tartness from the raspberries, making it a wonderful complement to a variety of baked goods. The author also provides helpful tips and answers to frequently asked questions to ensure your frosting turns out perfectly.
Salted Caramel Frosting
The irresistible combination of sweet and salty in salted caramel frosting elevates the flavor profile of red velvet cake. The caramel’s richness and hint of salt provide a delightful complexity to every bite.
This Salted Caramel Frosting recipe from Baked by an Introvert is a sweet and salty delight that’s perfect for any cake or cupcake. The recipe is simple and requires just four ingredients: homemade caramel sauce, unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, and fine sea salt.
The frosting is creamy and has a wonderful balance of sweet and salty flavors, making it a wonderful complement to red velvet cake. The author also provides helpful tips and answers to frequently asked questions to ensure your frosting turns out perfectly.
Strawberry Frosting
The vibrant and fruity flavor of strawberry frosting adds a refreshing twist to red velvet cake. The natural sweetness of strawberries complements the cake’s flavors, making it a delightful choice for fruit lovers.
This Strawberry Frosting recipe from My Baking Addiction is a delightful addition to your favorite cakes and cupcakes. The recipe uses fresh strawberry puree, unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract to create a frosting that is full of fresh strawberry flavor.
Furthermore, this frosting can be conveniently stored in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to a month, allowing for easy make-ahead preparation for your baking requirements.
Vanilla Frosting
A classic choice, vanilla frosting enhances the subtle cocoa flavor of red velvet cake while adding a creamy and sweet element. Its versatility makes it a safe and delicious option for those who prefer a traditional pairing.
This Vanilla Frosting recipe from Shugary Sweets is a classic that should be in every baker’s repertoire. The recipe uses unsalted butter, powdered sugar, pure vanilla extract, and milk to create a creamy, fluffy frosting that is perfect for red velvet.
There’s great instructions and tips, including variations for using vanilla beans and food coloring. This frosting can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, making it a convenient make-ahead option for your baking needs.
| Frosting | Key Flavors | Ingredients | Texture | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buttercream | Smooth, creamy, subtle sweetness | Butter, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, milk | Smooth and creamy | Versatile for frosting cakes and cupcakes |
| Cream Cheese | Tangy, creamy, sweet | Unsalted butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla extract, heavy whipping cream | Creamy and rich | Can be flavored with various additions such as fruit juice or coffee |
| Marshmallow | Fluffy, sweet, subtle vanilla | Butter, marshmallow fluff, powdered sugar, vanilla extract | Fluffy and light | Homemade frosting with simple ingredients and easy to follow steps |
| Mocha | Decadent, rich, coffee and chocolate | Butter, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, vanilla, heavy cream, salt | Rich and indulgent | Offers a deep mocha flavor with the combination of cocoa and espresso powders |
| Nutella | Creamy hazelnut and chocolate | Unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, Nutella, heavy cream or milk, vanilla extract, salt | Creamy and delightful | Features irresistible hazelnut and vanilla flavors |
| Peanut Butter | Nutty, savory | Unsalted butter, creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt, milk | Silky smooth and pipeable | Ideal for peanut butter lovers and easy to make |
| Raspberry | Bright, tangy | Raspberry purée, butter, powdered sugar | Light and fresh | Offers a burst of freshness and tartness from raspberries |
| Salted Caramel | Sweet and salty | Homemade caramel sauce, unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, fine sea salt | Creamy and balanced | Provides a sweet and salty delight with a rich caramel flavor |
| Strawberry | Vibrant, fruity | Fresh strawberry puree, unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract | Full of fresh strawberry flavor | Can be stored for convenience and offers a refreshing twist |
| Vanilla | Classic, creamy, sweet | Unsalted butter, powdered sugar, pure vanilla extract, milk | Creamy and fluffy | Classic choice that enhances the cocoa flavor of red velvet |