Red Velvet Cake
i have never heard of or had a red velvet cake until lately...It must be popular in the states only (I'm canadian)...I really really want to make one. But they all call for 2 ounces or so of food colouring. Does anyone have a recipe that does not have food colouring in it? if not...do you find that all that red stains your teeth and tongue???? Dying to try it!!!
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13 Comments:
It's supposed to be red. Very red. Otherwise it's just a sort-of-chocolatey cake.
kansas at 1:32PM on 03/29/07
It's actually a Southern (US) recipe, and yes, the food coloring is a must to achieve the red color. The recipe also calls for cocoa powder, as as kansas says, without the coloring, you'll end up with a brownish chocolatey cake. I don't recall having it stain my teeth or tongue, but I might not be remembering correctly. Also, I have a great recipe at home. I'll try to remember to post it tonight for you.
Meg Hourihan at 2:52PM on 03/29/07
Had this at Doughboy's in North Hollywood last fall. For all the hype I thought it was just OK. I thought the icing was the best part. Then again, I stood in line for an hour at Pink's just so I could try their hot dogs so what do I know?
Hungover Gourmet at 3:14PM on 03/29/07
Thanks Megnut, I'd love to see a recipe. I want to try it this weekend!
Lilartist at 3:34PM on 03/29/07
Megnut, the Southern origin is disputed. Although it's certainly popular in the South, I haven't seen proof that it originated in the South. And believe me -- as a lifelong Southerner, I'm always happy to claim Southern credit. But I also know we Southerners have a tendency to claim that anything we make started here!
Kathleen Purvis at 3:39PM on 03/29/07
Uh, really? I had never heard of it until a Southern friend asked me to make it for her wedding cake. Then she gave me her family's traditional recipe. Since I'd never heard of the cake before that, I believed her. Perhaps some more research is in order.
Meg Hourihan at 5:05PM on 03/29/07
I remember reading somewhere about a red velvet cake being made red with beet powder or beet juice. I'll try to remember where I read that and get back to you. It might have been in the New York Times piece on red velvet cake a few weeks ago by Julia Moskin.
Ed Levine at 5:09PM on 03/29/07
Red velvet cake entry from Wikipedia. There's some more information there, including a reference to its popularity in Canada and the possible substitution of boiled beets for coloring effect. No definitive word on if it's Southern in origin, but it's popular in that region for sure.
Meg Hourihan at 5:10PM on 03/29/07
I saw that same article in the NYT a couple of weeks ago, can't remember exactly what they said about using beets for the coloring, but they did menion it. I have made this cake a few times with food coloring, other then having to go out and buy a lot of it, there was never any other problem with it for me. No teeth or tongue staining.
The recipe I use most often is from Magnolia Bakery.
Sarahrm at 7:46PM on 03/29/07
Megnut, there's some history on snopes.com, in a report on urban legends like the Neiman Marcus cookie. Long before that tale started circulating, red velvet cake spawned a similar legend under the name Waldorf Astoria Cake. There also was a long thread about its history in the Southern culture section of egullet a little while back. The cake is popular in the South for sure (nothing that sweet would stay out of the South for long!), but I've seen no definitive proof of where it originated.
Kathleen Purvis at 8:40AM on 03/30/07
Thanks guys, interesting bit of information. It must have been popular in Canada, back in the 40's and 50's as the Wikipedia suggests, it's definately not around much now. I know what I am baking this weekend...recipes?
Lilartist at 8:58AM on 03/30/07
Sorry I forgot this last night! As I recall, 8' or 9" cake pans work fine. Here's the recipe from my friend's grandmother:
RED VELVET CAKE:
Grease 2 flour pans and preheat oven to 350°.
2 oz. red food coloring
3 tablespoons cocoa
- Mix together and set aside.
1/2 cup Crisco
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
- Cream well and add to cocoa mixture.
2 1/4 cup sifted cake flour
1 cup buttermilk
- Add to mixture, alternating flour and buttermilk.
- Also add:
1/4 tsp salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
- Now, combine and hand-mix into batter *while still fizzing*:
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pour into 2 greased and floured cake pans and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes.
COOKED WHITE ICING:
Whisk 4 1/2 tablespoons flour into 1 cup milk, stirring over low heat until thick. Set aside to cool.
Beat 1/2 lb. of softened butter for 4 minutes. Add 1 cup sugar, beat 4 more minutes. Add flour paste and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat 4 more minutes. Don't beat for less than 12 minutes total or my grandmother will be turning in her grave.
This icing gets nice and stiff when cooled in the fridge.
Meg Hourihan at 9:21AM on 03/30/07
Thanks Meg!
Lilartist at 9:43AM on 03/30/07