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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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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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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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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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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.
Waldorf-Astoria Red Velvet Cake
PREP 30min
COOK 30min
cooling 3h
READY IN 4h
One 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.
Ingredients
Waldorf-Astoria Red Velvet Cake
1⁄2 cup (95g) shortening
1 1⁄2 cups (300g) sugar
2 eggs
2 oz (60 ml) red food coloring
2 tbsp cocoa (heaping)
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
2 1⁄4 cups (260g) cake flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vinegar
ERMINE ICING
3 tbsp flour
1 cup (240 ml) milk
1 cup (200g) sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup (225g) butter (must be butter)
Preparation
1
Waldorf-Astoria Red Velvet Cake
Step 1/14
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
Step 2/14
Start by creaming the sugar, eggs, and shortening.
Step 3/14
Make a paste out of cocoa and food coloring and add it to the creamed mixture.
Step 4/14
Gradually add buttermilk interchanging it with salt and flour.
Step 5/14
Add a teaspoon of vanilla.
Step 6/14
Induce the vinegar with a teaspoon of baking soda and add it to the mixture.
Step 7/14
Grease and flour three or four 8" (20 cm) cake pans and pour in the batter.
Step 8/14
Bake for 24-30 minutes.
Step 9/14
For the ermine icing, first, slowly add milk to the flour, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Step 10/14
Cook the mixture until it thickens.
Step 11/14
Set the mixture aside and let it cool down completely.
Step 12/14
Cream the butter, vanilla, and sugar until it becomes fluffy.
Step 13/14
Combine the two mixtures together and beat at high speed until it starts to look and taste like whipped cream.
Step 14/14
Fill and frost the baked layers with ermine icing.
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.
-
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.
-
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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