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Authentic Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Southern United States, United States of America
JUMP TO RECIPE
We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
The red velvet cake became the pinnacle of festive desserts in America thanks to its vibrant red color, subtle yet tangy chocolate flavor, and a refreshing French-style ermine icing. The sponge is prepared by first creaming the sugar, eggs, and shortening, to which a paste out of cocoa and food dye is added. Subsequently, salt, flour, buttermilk, and vanilla are added to the mix, alongside soda-induced vinegar. Finally, the batter is poured into several cake pans (3 or 4) and baked. Although the ermine frosting takes a bit of time to prepare, it gives the cake its authentic taste and creaminess. The ermine frosting is made by slowly adding milk to the flour and then cooking it until thickens, stirring the mixture throughout. Sugar, vanilla, and buttercream are added to the cooked mixture that is then beaten until it starts to resemble whipped cream. Newer adaptations of the recipe replaced the ermine frosting with cream cheese frosting because it is less time-consuming to prepare and ... Read more
Cooking tips
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ermine icing
To ensure your ermine icing’s perfect texture, make sure to stir the mixture of flour and milk constantly as it cooks. Oftentimes, the lack of stirring creates lumps in the mixture, and you want to avoid that. -
cream cheese frosting
While mixing the ingredients, occasionally turn the mixer off and scrape down the bowl’s sides to ensure that all ingredients are well incorporated. Before spreading the frosting over the cake’s layers, keep it in the refrigerator until it stiffens up a bit. -
texture
Red Velvet Cake has a very authentic texture. It is moist, fluffy, and splendidly buttery. The key ingredient for achieving the traditional Red Velvet Cake texture is buttermilk. It is an ingredient that the Red Velvet Cake cannot do without. If you do not have buttermilk, combine one and a half teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar with enough whole milk to fill a liquid measuring cup, ... Read more -
decoration
In its nature, the Red Velvet Cake is a very simple concoction. Therefore, the best way to decorate it is to use leftover cake crumbs and sprinkle them both on the top and the sides of the cake. This way, you will add more vibrance to the cake’s look, as well as a more rustic feel. -
serving
To ensure the best possible texture and taste of the cake, leave it in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours. Then, before serving it, take it out of the fridge and leave it at room temperature for ten minutes.
Recipe variations
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Southern Red Velvet Cake
Ready in 3h 10minToday, red velvet cake is considered a Southern classic, although there is no connection between the cake and the South per se. However, what solidified it as a Southern icon was the 1989's Steel Magnolias, which featured the red velvet armadillo cake as the groom's cake. In this variant, the cake is layered with a tangy cream cheese frosting and decorated with crushed pecans.
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Adams "Original" Red Velvet Cake
Ready in 1h 40minThe Adams "Original" Red Velvet Cake recipe significantly contributed to the cake’s increase in popularity during the twentieth century. Its main ingredient is, of course, the Adams Red Food Color. If you cannot get your hands on Adams Extract Company’s products, any other brand will do.
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Waldorf-Astoria Red Velvet Cake
Ready in 4hOne of the origin theories says that the red velvet cake was created at New York's Waldorf-Astoria, but the truth is they just capitalized on what was already there and offered their version of the cake. While most modern red velvet cake recipes call for cream cheese frosting, this Waldorf-Astoria recipe uses the traditional ermine (butter roux) icing.
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Beet Juice Red Velvet Cake
Ready in 1h 55minThe red velvet cake can easily be made without the use of food coloring. The answer lies in beet juice, which was often used in the time after World War II when cocoa was scarce. However, not only does beet juice make the cake visually pop, but, despite the common misconception, it adds to the sweetness of the cake without compromising its traditional flavor. The following recipe gives instructions on beet juice-colored sponges and cream cheese frosting.
Southern Red Velvet Cake
PREP 40min
COOK 30min
RESTING 2h
READY IN 3h 10min
Today, red velvet cake is considered a Southern classic, although there is no connection between the cake and the South per se. However, what solidified it as a Southern icon was the 1989's Steel Magnolias, which featured the red velvet armadillo cake as the groom's cake. In this variant, the cake is layered with a tangy cream cheese frosting and decorated with crushed pecans.
Ingredients
Southern Red Velvet Cake
SPONGE
2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp fine salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tbsp red food coloring
1 tbsp white distilled vinegar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
crushed pecans, for garnish
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 lb (450g) cream cheese, softened
4 cups (400g) sifted confectioners' sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Preparation
1
Southern Red Velvet Cake
Step 1/11
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and lightly oil and flour three 9 by 1 1/2-inch (23 by 4 cm) cake pans.
Step 2/11
Sift together the sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, cocoa, and soda. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, food coloring, and vinegar.
Step 3/11
Mix the dry and wet ingredients together with a stand mixer until a smooth batter forms.
Step 4/11
Divide the batter equally between the three cake pans and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 5/11
When you remove the cakes from the oven, make sure to run a knife along the edges of the pans to detach the cakes from the sides.
Step 6/11
Let the cakes cool down completely.
Step 7/11
Using a hand-held mixer in a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar, and cream cheese. Gradually increase the mixing speed until the frosting becomes fluffy and light (typically around 5 minutes).
Step 8/11
Turn the mixer off and add vanilla to the frosting. Raise the mixer to high speed, and mix until it’s well incorporated.
Step 9/11
Store the frosting in the refrigerator until it stiffens up.
Step 10/11
Spread the frosting on each layer and top the cake off with the remaining cream cheese icing.
Step 11/11
Sprinkle the top with previously crushed pecans.
Other Variations
-
Adams "Original" Red Velvet Cake
Ready in 1h 40minThe Adams "Original" Red Velvet Cake recipe significantly contributed to the cake’s increase in popularity during the twentieth century. Its main ingredient is, of course, the Adams Red Food Color. If you cannot get your hands on Adams Extract Company’s products, any other brand will do.
-
Waldorf-Astoria Red Velvet Cake
Ready in 4hOne of the origin theories says that the red velvet cake was created at New York's Waldorf-Astoria, but the truth is they just capitalized on what was already there and offered their version of the cake. While most modern red velvet cake recipes call for cream cheese frosting, this Waldorf-Astoria recipe uses the traditional ermine (butter roux) icing.
-
Beet Juice Red Velvet Cake
Ready in 1h 55minThe red velvet cake can easily be made without the use of food coloring. The answer lies in beet juice, which was often used in the time after World War II when cocoa was scarce. However, not only does beet juice make the cake visually pop, but, despite the common misconception, it adds to the sweetness of the cake without compromising its traditional flavor. The following recipe gives instructions on beet juice-colored sponges and cream cheese frosting.
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