How To Make Southern Red Velvet Cake, Ingredients, Instructions And Recipe!

How To Make Southern Red Velvet Cake, Ingredients, Instructions And Recipe!

Traditional red velvet cake is a red, red-brown, crimson, or scarlet-colored chocolate layer cake layered with ermine icing. Traditional recipes do not use food coloring, with the red color coming from anthocyanin-rich, non-Dutched cocoa. Buttermilk, butter, cocoa, vinegar, and flour are all common ingredients.

How does Red Velvet Cake Taste Like?

Red velvet cake has a very mild cocoa flavor with a slightly tart edge. The cream cheese frosting has the strongest flavor. The texture is perhaps more important than the taste: smooth, soft, tender, and light with creamy icing.

Where it All Started?

Red velvet cake is thought to have originated during the Victorian era, according to historians. Because cake flour was not available at the time, vinegar was used to tenderize cakes. When vinegar and non-Dutch processed cocoa powder were combined, the cake turned a reddish-brown color.

The first red velvet cake recipes were published in the early twentieth century, and as the cake spread across the United States, southerners began adding another acid to the cake: buttermilk.

At some point before World War II, the process for producing cocoa powder changed, and it no longer turned red when combined with the acids. People still wanted that red cake, so reduced beet juice was added. A southern dye company called Adams Extract ended up popularizing red velvet cake by publishing a recipe that called for his red food dye.

Cream cheese frosting is a much later innovation: the original frosting was a French roux-style buttercream, sometimes called gravy frosting because it starts out with the same type of roux used to make gravy. With the butter beaten in at the end, it is spectacularly light and fluffy, but incredibly time consuming to make. And that’s why cream cheese frosting became the norm

Historians believe that red velvet cake originated during the Victorian era. Cake flour wasn't around yet, so vinegar was used to tenderize cakes. When vinegar was combined with non-Dutch processed cocoa powder, the cake turned a reddish-brown hue.

The first recipes labeled as red velvet cake were published in the early 20th century, and as the cake spread through the U.S., southerners started adding another acid to the cake: buttermilk.

Best Time To Eat it 

While dessert is commonly consumed after dinner or a late lunch, a new study suggests that if weight loss is a priority, it may be better to consume cake at breakfast rather than later in the day or evening. In fact, getting your cravings out of the way early may help you maintain your weight in the long run.

RECIPE

This red velvet cake recipe is ideal for making a stunning red cake for Valentine's Day or a show-stopping cake for birthdays, holidays, or any other occasion. This cake is more than just a red-colored vanilla cake; it's tangy and buttery, with a mild cocoa and sweet vanilla flavor.

• 
  
• 2 and 2/3 cups (295 grams) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
• 1/4 cup (22 grams) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• 1 and 3/4 cups (350 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) canola or vegetable oil
• 1 (1-ounce) bottle liquid red food color
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 and 1/3 cups (320 ml) buttermilk room temperature
• FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
• 12 ounces brick-style cream cheese softened
• 3/4 cup (175 grams) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

 

TO MAKE THE RED VELVET CAKE:

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray two 9-inch cake pans well with nonstick cooking spray, line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Then sift the dry ingredients to remove any lumps of cocoa powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed for 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until fully combined, then mix in the oil, red food color, vanilla extract, and vinegar stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Make sure to mix each addition until just combined and be careful not to over mix the batter.

Evenly distribute the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans and spread the batter around into one even layer. Tap the pans on the counter 2-3 times to remove any air bubbles from the cakes.

Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Carefully remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool in the pans for 15-20 minutes. Then, carefully remove the cakes from the cake pans and place on the wire rack to cool completely.