Red Velvet Cake

[Tepee]

Beautiful cake! Love the colors of the leaves and the differently-colored top tier.

[Deborah]

Beautiful cake! I love all the leaves. Glad it went well!

[Daniel]

Looking for an amazing Red Velvet cake recipe.. Does anyone have a great recipe they could share or direct me to.

[sarah o]

Here's one.

Leite's Culinaria

This is an exact duplicate of my mother's recipe which has been a christmas tradition in our house for over 40 years! And if u saw the recipe card you would believe it!

i prefer this frosting over the cream cheese frosting which some people use instead.

Edited March 12, 2005 by sarah o (log)

[Timh]

I thought the frosting for Red Velvet was cream cheese base, or sourcream?! Marscapone even, but the point is a slight tartness. Maybe its just a southern thing.

edited to add: sorry for the cross posting.

Tim

Edited March 12, 2005 by Timh (log)

[Wendy DeBord]

The recipe at Leites is exactly what I use too, from a family recipe. One tip I'll give you is to make darn sure you don't over bake this cake. It's not a naturally moist cake on it's own. Also, don't expect it to taste chocolatey, it's a rather plain tasting cake.

I'm not from the South (mid-west) but in our families tradition a red cake has that cooked frosting recipe at Leites, not a cream cheese based frosting. Although I have seen many others that swear by the cream cheese frosting. So there is a little confusion over what's "correct".

Good Luck, I'm sure if you follow that recipe your cake will be just what your looking for.

[Jaymes]

There have been at least three previous threads here on eGullet where Red Velvet Cake is discussed extensively, with many recipes (including mine), the pros and cons of each, opinions regarding various types of icings, etc.

This is one of those threads: Classic Cakes That Need Resurrecting

Here's another: Need Red Velvet wedding cake

And here's a third: Red Velvet HELP!!

There's lots and lots of great information in those threads. I can't imagine you'd have a question that isn't answered somewhere there. And you'll have your choice of many recipes, all of them tested and tasted and tried and true.

Edited March 13, 2005 by Jaymes (log)

[andiesenji]

This is a very old family recipe which gets raves, hope it is what you want.

RED VELVET CAKE

It is very important to follow the directions exactly. Note there is no baking powder in this cake. The action of the acids and alkaline ingredients mixed in the proper order is what leavens this cake.

You must start with all ingredients at room temperature so set the eggs out and measure out the buttermilk at least an hour before you plan to start mixing.

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour (you can also use 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 cake flour for a finer texture)

1/2 cup Crisco (This is important for the texture)

2 large eggs - room temp.

1 level teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 rounded Tablespoons cocoa (regular, not Dutch process)

1 cup buttermilk - room temp.

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 Tablespoon distilled white vinegar

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 ounces (1/4 cup)red food coloring

First grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans - or line with bakers parchment. You can also use a large rectangular pan.

In a large mixing bowl cream the shortening, sugar and vanilla, beat till fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating each until completely incorporated into the batter, set aside

In a cup mix together the cocoa, food coloring and vinegar and set aside.

In a medium bowl mix together the buttermilk, flour, baking soda and the salt and set aside.

Turn oven on, set at 350 degrees F.

Add cocoa mix to shortening/sugar/vanilla, blend. Add buttermilk, flour, baking soda, salt to the batter and blend until batter is completely smooth and looks silky.

Pour batter into the cake pans, Bake for 40 minutes, test with a cake tester, if it still appears moist, bake an additional 5 minutes.

ICING

1 cup whole milk

5 Tablespoons flour

2 sticks salted butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup granulated sugar.

Cook milk and flour until thick in double boiler ( or in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water) Set aside to cool. In a medium mixing bowl cream butter and sugar together until fluffy.

Add vanilla and blend. Add milk and flour mixture and beat until completely blended and icing will hold a peak

Edited March 12, 2005 by andiesenji (log)

[DiH]

For anyone sensitive to the trace bitterness caused by the red food coloring, I replace it with a "healthy teaspoon" of gel coloring... no bitterness and a very pretty color.

Di

[M. Lucia]

Just wanted to note that Andie's recipe is the same as the one linked above. I love red velvet cake, and I also agree its easy to over bake and have it dry out.

[zilla369]

Okay...i'm finally going to ask this question; it's been bugging me for a long time. I'm sure the answer is absurdly simple, so lay it on me:

Why do most red velvet cake recipes call for vinegar? It's never enough to impart any taste, so i'm assuming it's a chemical reaction thing, but why only in red velvet cake and not other chocolate cakes?

Apologies if this has been covered before. I searched and couldn't find the answer on site.

[Jaymes]

Why do most red velvet cake recipes call for vinegar?  It's never enough to impart any taste, so i'm assuming it's a chemical reaction thing, but why only in red velvet cake and not other chocolate cakes?

I'm no food chemist and obviously could be wrong, but most of the recipes I've seen call for 1 T vinegar and 1 C buttermilk, which is definitely enough to impart the slight tang that is one of the hallmarks of the cake. It's not enough to make it sour, but I think you can definitely taste it, along with the hint of chocolate.

Perhaps there is another reason, but that's why I've always assumed the vinegar is in there.

[debler]

I was amazzed to see you all discussing Red Velvet Cake!

I was brought up to belive it was indiginous to Canada!

If any of you know of the old Eaton's stores up here, then you would remember it (many, many) years ago , it was one of their signature pastries.

I do have thier origional recipe, it's simulare to the one writen out in this thread. If you'd like it, just PM me.

[Jaymes]

I was amazzed  to see you all discussing Red Velvet Cake!

I was brought up to belive it was indiginous to Canada!

I was always told that it originated in New York in the dining room of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel sometime in the 1920's.

But that home cooks in the American South latched onto it with particular enthusiasm and made it their own. It is a particularly festive dessert to carry to church suppers and various other potlucks. You know how we do.

So I think of it as a Southern Thang, even though it probably didn't originate here.

Edited March 13, 2005 by Jaymes (log)

[Daniel]

Thanks for your help everyone.. Brought it to Easter.. It turned out really well.. I made a coconut cake too that was outrageous. But this cake looked really pretty.. I am glad i only used two cakes and left the third cake out..

[Joni]

Thanks for your help everyone.. Brought it to Easter.. It turned out really well.. I made a coconut cake too that was outrageous.  But this cake looked really pretty.. I am glad i only used two cakes and left the third cake out..

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Daniel..looks gorgeous..per the other thread...what coconut cake recipe did you use ?

[Daniel]

Thanks for your help everyone.. Brought it to Easter.. It turned out really well.. I made a coconut cake too that was outrageous.  But this cake looked really pretty.. I am glad i only used two cakes and left the third cake out..

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Daniel..looks gorgeous..per the other thread...what coconut cake recipe did you use ?

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Thanks to the gifted gourmet : coconut recipe

[alacarte]

Did anyone else know that Duncan Hines offers a red velvet cake mix? Yikes.

[BROWNSUGA]

Daniel, which Red Velvet recipe did you end up making?

[Daniel]

Daniel, which Red Velvet recipe did you end up making?

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I used the recipe Sarah O provided..My original plan was to make a red velvet with cream cheese icing ,but after seeing that coconut recipe i thought it would be an overkill with two cream cheese icings.. I also only made two cakes instead of three to stack on top of eachother.. With the left over batter i made cupcakes for the kids that were going to be there.

Edited April 1, 2005 by Daniel (log)

[racheld]

Red Velvet Cake---cream cheese frosting with chopped PECANS in it.

Dear Daughter commissioned a pastry chef friend to make one for our Easter lunch (10 at table). It was a marvel of four layers (2 splits) of moist, deeply red cake with creamy, tangysweet frosting. He had levelcut the layers while still in the pans, crumbled the shavings, made dust of the crumbs, toasted them, then used them to hand-apply lovely scallops up the sides. Eight fluffy rosettes graced the top, almost too high to fit under the cake dome.

We cut it early, as some of the friends arrived in town on Friday; after our grilled steaks and portas, many avid glances went toward the gorgeous cake, so we said what the heck, and cut it. After seeing the split layers with frosting as thick as the cake, I served medium-thin slices, which were oh, so rich and filling.

Then we offered a choice of red velvet or lemon cheesecake after Easter lunch. NO ONE turned down the red velvet, though several opted for a "little of both," as is usually the case at dessert time. Above DD requested four slices to take to work, as they had seen it in all its pristine glory as it was delivered.

After all that slicing and serving, one double-slice was still standing when we all retired for the night; during the late hours, that valiant cake gave up the ghost, and was collapsed into a heap of mingled colors when we rose in the morning. We made espresso, gathered round with small forks, lifted the lid one last time. Three bites each, a few careful scrapes of the icing smears, and we bade farewell to an old southern tradition, beautifully done by a Hoosier from a Mississippi recipe.

And do you know what he had said to her when he delivered it? "I've got 17.50 in the ingredients---would $25.00 be too much?" She insisted on at least doubling the ingredient cost, and well worth it, it was...I think we counted 24 servings. Lovely cake.

[mignardise]

Did a search here on a couple of threads, came up short.

There was a mention here about the use of red powdered color, could not find that thread..........anyways............

I have used paste...with an epicurious recipe..taste pretty good, but my tongue was red for days. Yes, I know I can use less.......

But, my question is:

What's the best type of red to use?

Paste, liquid, gel color, or powder

Calls for 2 oz.

2 oz. of what? what kind?

I know it's so artificial...........and I don't want to fool around with beets.

Thanks.

[chefpeon]

Well, I was gonna say use the beets......but.....I guess not.

I refuse to make red velvet if I can't use the beet juice. All that artificial red color just wigs me out.

But, since you're not wigged out.....

I'm pretty sure the recipe calls for 2 oz of liquid, since that is the kind that is most readily available to everyone. Remember, the red color is just there for color and nothing else, so if you use less, it won't affect the overall quality of your cake.

If you use paste you won't need nearly two ounces......maybe a teaspoon or so?

Personally if I were going to use an artificial red, I'd use the powder. It's fairly concentrated, and really quite tasteless. You might need about 2 tsp of that. I'm just guessing though.

Gel color isn't nearly as concentrated as paste, but it's more concentrated than liquid, so the amount would probably be somewhere in the middle of the paste and the liquid.

Hope this helps!

[ChocoChris]

Hi,

I am making a red velvet week cake this week. When I did a practice run, I followed the advice in one of the threads and used a "healthy teaspoon" of red paste (Wilton's no-taste red to be exact) and diluted it in enough water to make 2 oz. of coloring like the recipe called for. I was skeptical but it worked! The color was fine - the bride approved - and no red residue on anyone's tongues!

Hopefully this will help!

Take care,

Chris

Edited September 12, 2005 by ChocoChris (log)

[Kathyf]

The original recipe I have calls for 2 oz of the liquid red you can find in almost any grocery store. The Wilton red no taste in water that Chris mentioned has worked well for me too. Or 2 ozs. of red airbrush coloring.