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Red Velvet Cake IS a chocolate cake with a reddish color. My late grandmother used to make a red velvet cake and it contained NO red food coloring or beet juice or anything like that. Her recipe has been lost and we haven't been able to duplicate it. It was the best red velvet cake I've ever eaten. Not like todays so called red velvet cakes, with their shocking red color. Her's was red AND chocolate. Wish I could find something akin to her recipe.

Hey can somebody please help me! This thanksgiving I decided to make this much talked about cake. And to my dissatisfaction after three tries I've frosted what appears to be a very dense three layered cake that didnt rise very much at all. The texture is like that of a pound cake, while the flavor is good and there was some moisture, the crumb is dry is this the intended flavor and texture. I made this from a traditonal way with the vinegar and baking soda combination almost identical to the receipe above except my recipe also called for 1 teaspoon of vanilla, a cup and a half of vegetable oil and 20 ounces of cake flour. I had never eaten one before while my guest said the flavor was good everyone thought it should have had more moisture. What could I have done wrong?

I remember the first ime I had Red Velvet Cake, I was 9 or 10 years old and my brother's mother-in-law made it for the holidays. It truly was love at first bite. It became my favorite cake heads up. My brother's mother in law told me that it was very difficult to make and at times she had to remake it 2 to 3 times over to get it right? Is this something that anyone has heard of, that it has to have this certain texture or consistency or the whole thing is ruined? She gave me the recipe (still have it) but never made it because of what she said.

So, is red velvet cake a chocolate cake or not? I don't really know, even though I've eaten in made from a mix a few times.

I remember old recipes using beet juice or tomato juice to add moisture (not really noticeable in the taste) and wondered if that's where the whole "red cake" idea came from.

This recipe for Red Velvet Cake (a/k/a "Waldorf Astoria Cake") is almost the same recipe as my Aunt gave me fifty years ago! I've been making it ever since, and it is the very favorite cake of all my familly members. This recipe here is missing one ingredient though; that is: one (1) teaspoon of vanilla extract. I also use 1 teaspoon of salt (versus 1/2 teaspoon). If you do not add the red coloring, the cake bakes into an unappealing beige color (because of the 1 Tablespoon of cocoa). The red coloring only enhances the appearance, and you can add enough coloring to go from pink to a dark red cake. It's your choice. Also, I agree with a reviewer who said hold the cream cheese frosting for carrot cake. I always make a good homemade vanilla buttercream frosting. This is the VERY BEST CAKE with a flavor that's hard to explain because it's not a vanilla--nor a white--nor a chocolate--nor a spice cake; it's got a unique flavor of its own.

Having been born and raised in NC, and being a yankee by marriage now, I've been craving Red Velvet... those of you who've done the taste tests from hunting down this creation, I've seen Cake Man Ravens name on quite a few websites as having the best.

Looks like I'm gonna have to make a road trip over the Verrazano soon.

Speaking of making it BLUE, what do you all think would happen if I made it GREEN for a St. Patricks day party.... just add the green food coloring... any special remarks??? thanks wonderful receipe...