Red Velvet Cake
This Red Velvet Cake is incredibly soft, boasts the perfect amount of subtle chocolate flavor, and is surrounded by a sweet and tangy cream cheese icing. Simply put, it’s perfect.
Red Velvet Cake is a dessert that you either love, or—for lack of a better word—hate. I ran a poll via my Instagram, and found that while the majority do tend to love Red Velvet Cake, you’d be surprised at the amount of people who said a big no thanks. The verdict is as follows: people feel some kinda way about their Red Velvet Cake. In other words, it’s not a cake people feel indifferent about, and this fascinated me, because most desserts people take or leave without much thought. I’m hoping, if you’re here reading this, that you enjoy Red Velvet Cake as much as I do, and will find learning about it interesting and worthwhile. So, without further ado, let’s dive into all things Red Velvet Cake.
What Makes This Cake Special?
A few things, but—and I say this with a lot of passion—the most important thing about Red Velvet Cake is the texture. A dry, lackluster Red Velvet Cake is about the worst cake in the world. Why? Because Red Velvet Cake is mild in nature, and with just a few tablespoons of cocoa powder, it doesn’t have the type of flavor that can hide imperfections. The subtle chocolate flavor is delightful, especially paired with a light and fluffy cream cheese icing, but if the crumb doesn’t shine, the cake falls flat. When eating this variety of cake, a luxurious texture is desired. One that is light, but with a substantial enough bite to feel satisfactory—indulgent if you will. Cue, my Red Velvet Cake. I created this recipe with a specific texture in mind—getting it right was important to me.
Another complaint about Red Velvet cake is the amount of food coloring used. My recipe calls for 1 teaspoon, which is enough to beautifully color the cake, without risking the cake tasting like food dye.
Lastly, but still of great importance, is the cream cheese icing, which, at least in California, is a staple for Red Velvet Cake. My cream cheese icing comes together in minutes and is perfectly delicious, tangy and not too sweet.
The Red Velvet Movement
I don’t often talk about a dessert’s history, but this cake is unique. It is often believed that Red Velvet Cake is strictly Southern, which isn’t entirely true. The origin of the modern Red Velvet Cake—the one we know and love today, is actually unknown—and while there are a few credited to creating the cake, it had actually been buzzing a bit in the United States, prior to those who monopolized on its success.
Originally, before food coloring and the many baking comforts we have today, “Velvet Cakes” were part of the Victorian age, a time when bakers learned that cakes could be made softer, by manipulating certain ingredients to yield a desired result. For example, Red Velvet Cake uniquely calls for vinegar, which interestingly, when mixed with cocoa, gives a naturally subtle red hue. Further, using the vinegar with the cocoa helps to break down the protein in flour, giving Red Velvet its signature texture. These methods and techniques, of course, have been transformed over time to incorporate the elements of Red Velvet that we know today—the red coloring, addition of buttermilk and the cream cheese icing.
In doing my research, I have found that in California, and I am sure in areas of the South as well, cream cheese icing is a staple for Red Velvet Cake enthusiasts, but I’ve learned that some swear, and insist, that an icing cooked on the stove is the only way to enjoy a Red Velvet Cake. That this is THE way! I found this particularly intriguing. More than one reader messaged me about icing cooked on the stove related to Red Velvet Cake, and one beloved recipe was shared with me. I love hearing the stories behind recipes, and while I certainly feel my recipe is quite special, I am going to share the recipe given to me here. It boasts an icing made on the stove, rather than the cream cheese icing I am familiar with. I haven’t had the chance to bake this recipe yet, but I certainly plan to do so in time.
If you want to learn even more about the history of Red Velvet cake, you can follow the link here. I found this article particularly informative.
A Note On Food Coloring
Some are put off by the amount of food coloring used in Red Velvet Cake. For this recipe, I used enough to get a nice pop of color (a generous teaspoon), but don’t go overboard—the last thing desired is the taste of food coloring in the cake. I highly recommend using AmeriColor products, because they are gel based, and will give the best saturation, with the least amount of product. If you want the exact color of my Red Velvet Cake, I use ½ teaspoon of Super Red AmeriColor gel, and ½ teaspoon of the same brand, in the color Crimson. Using a combination of the two colors gives a uniquely rich and beautiful shade of red.
Red Velvet Cake Tips
As with all my cakes, I am passionate about the importance of certain practices while baking. With Red Velvet Cake these practices are even more important. Do the following to help achieve cake success:
1.) Cream the butter and sugars for 3-4 minutes. Drizzle in the oil slowly, and beat for an additional two minutes.
2.) Be sure the eggs and buttermilk are room temperature, before adding into the batter. This allows for even emulsification of ingredients and a fluffier cake texture when baked.
3.) Sift the cake and all-purpose flour.
4.) Make sure your baking soda is fresh and active. If the baking soda doesn’t react with the vinegar it is too old, and should be discarded.
5.) Watch the cakes closely while baking. This doesn’t mean opening the oven frequently to look inside, but it does mean keeping a watchful eye, so the cakes aren’t over baked.
Final Tip
After the cakes have been removed from their pans and cooled, it’s never a bad idea to wrap the layers in saran wrap, and refrigerate for an hour or two before assembling the cake. If the layers aren’t chilled before decorating, it can make for a slippery and slidy situation when trying to decorate, especially since my cream cheese icing is very creamy, and not a particularly stable icing. If a thicker icing is desired more powdered sugar can be added. Once the cake is iced, it should be left in the fridge until 1 to 2 hours before enjoying. The cake will taste best room temp, as the crumb will tenderize coming to room temperature. Enjoy!
Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks salted butter
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 heaping teaspoon red gel food coloring*
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cup cake flour
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup hottest tap water
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- 1 stick salted butter, room temperature
- 8 ounce block cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Generously butter and flour two 9" cake pans. To guarantee the cake won't stick, line the bottom of the greased cake pans with parchment paper rounds. Set aside.
- In a mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium to medium-high speed for 4 minutes. Drizzle the oil into the bowl on medium-low speed. Once incorporated, turn the mixer back to medium speed for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, briefly mixing batter on medium speed until smooth, scraping the bowl after each egg addition. Add in the vanilla, food coloring and salt. Briefly mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, using a fine mesh sieve, sift the flours. Spoon and level the flours for an accurate measurement.
- Add 1/3 cup hottest tap water to a glass measuring cup. Add cocoa powder to the hot water and whisk to combine. Add buttermilk and whisk until smooth.
- Alternating between the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, add 1/3 of flour into the mixing bowl on low speed. Immediately follow with 1/2 of the buttermilk, followed by another 1/3 of the flour and the second 1/2 of the buttermilk. Finish with the remaining flour mixture. The mixer should be kept on low speed, so the flour and liquid don't splash out of the bowl. Scrape the bowl, making sure any dry ingredients trapped at the bottom are brought to the top.
- In a small bowl, add together the vinegar and baking soda. Give the ingredients a quick stir and then immediately add the fizzy mixture into the cake batter. Turn the mixer on medium-low speed for about 10-15 seconds.
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans and place into the oven. Start assessing your cakes after 25 minutes, but they could take up to 30 minutes or longer to bake, depending on your oven's temperature. When a toothpick inserted comes out clean, the cake is done. Cool pans for 10 minutes, before running a knife around the edge of the pan, and turning out the cake. Place cake on wire rack to finish cooling. Once cake is cooled, cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This step is optional, but makes icing the cake easier.
- With an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium speed until there are no lumps and the consistency is smooth.
- Add sifted powdered sugar to the bowl, 1 cup at a time, mixing first on low speed to prevent splashing, then turning the mixer to medium until it's incorporated. Repeat process with remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated. Give the mixing bowl a good scrape and briefly mix one more time to complete the icing.
- Place one layer of cake on a clean turn table or cake board with a small dollop of icing underneath. This works as a glue, helping prevent the cake layers from sliding around while icing. Place a large dollop of icing on top of the first cake layer, and spread evenly with a small offset spatula or knife. Place the second cake layer on top of icing. Place another large dollop of icing onto the cake, smoothing the top evenly, and letting excess icing drop to the side of the cake.
- With the rest of the icing, using an offset spatula, put a even layer of icing around the entire cake, with a back and forth motion.
- Using a bench scraper (also known as cake smoother) with your dominant hand, hold it steady against the cake, but slightly angled toward the cake, to aid in smoothing, and slowly move the turn table with the other hand, while not moving the scraper, and keeping it as straight and steady as possible. As excess icing builds on the scraper, place it back into the mixing bowl, and continue smoothing the cake with a clean scraper. This cake is intended to be semi-naked, so as you scrape the excess icing off the cake, bits of the cake underneath will be exposed. See blog pictures for reference.
- While smoothing the sides, a lip of icing will form around the top of the cake. Using an offset spatula, gently sweep away the lip with a motion toward the center of the cake. Rotate the cake, and sweep until the lip has been removed, and top of the cake is smooth. Any leftover icing can be used to decorate the cake with a beaded boarder, or another decoration of choice. Store cake in the refrigerator until 2 hours before serving.
Notes
*I use a AmeriColor gel in Super Red and Crimson to tint my cake.
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