I'm doing a wedding cake for my best friend and she wants a red velvet cake. I just want to make sure that I have one that will be good for decorating and won't fall apart. I don't want to try a new one only to find out that it isn't dense enough. Anybody have any good suggestions for one they have used before?

I made 14 of these for my first wedding order. They all loved the cake and it was a good texture to work with, etc...

Red Velvet Cake

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
4 Tbsp red food coloring
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp vinegar

Cream shortening & sugar very well. Make a paste of red food coloring & cocoa. Add to crisco & sugar.
Mix salt, vanilla, buttermilk & eggs. Add alternately with flour to creamed mixture.
Mix baking soda and vinegar. Fold into cake batter. Don't beat or stir.
350 degrees. 30 min. 2 - 9" pans.

Not that I don't love the look of this recipe and I'll probably still make it, but I was wondering, has anyone ever used a cake mix to make a red velvet cake? The last time I used a white cake mix because I was making a turtle cake and he wanted it BLOOD red (you can see it in my pics). I used the extender recipe on here and it tasted really good, but obviously needs to be darker for a wedding cake. My question is, do you add cocoa powder to a white cake mix or use a chocolate cake mix and just add the coloring?? Also, I heard that some brands of the red food color have a bitter taste - is there one that's better than another (that I could actually find at a local grocery store)? Thanks!!

Stephanie

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Anyone?

hmm not sure about the different brands of red food coloring... but i'm pretty sure i've seen a red velvet cake mix, have you seen that?

i don't know if you've ever made wacky cake (also called crazy cake, and a variety of other names...it's an eggless chocolate cake), anyways this red velvet recipe tastes like wacky cake without the chocolate. i personally don't eat the stuff 'cause i don't like to put all that red dye into my body but i had to sample a bite when i made those wedding cakes.

They make a red velvet cake mix, I saw it in the grocery store just the other day. Can't remember what brand it was though.

The best red velvet cake recipe I've found is "Sarah's Red Velvet" found on this site. It's moist and very easy to make. I've made it twice and got rave reviews both times. I've never tried a mix for red velvet so I can't help you there.

Hmmm, I guess I'll just have to toy around with it to see which I like best. Thanks everyone for the input!! And melissablack, I can't wait to try your recipe!

Stephanie