So I'd like to make a red coloured cake and came accross this recipe in CC :
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-1960-24-Waldorf-Astoria-Red-Velvet-Cake.html
It's very highly rated buuuuuuut it says "Fold in the Buttermilk, vinegar and vanilla " I don't understand why you would fold in flavouring?? Wouldn't this make the cake uneven tasting?

Also what are your guys opinions on this cake as a Bday cake? It has vanilla essence in it but whats the overall flavour like? Any opinions on this cake?

Shola
XXX

I'm not expert here, and I've never made a red velvet cake, but man, do I love 'em! So anyway, a good red velvet cake is very moist and dense, when you take a bite it doesn't fall apart, you kind of "squish" it. I can't really describe the taste as other than sinful, I love it, almost better than chocolate!

As for the folding in the ingredients, my best guess is this. Because it is a dense cake if you were to beat in the ingredients it would allow too much air into the batter making a more fluffly less stable cake.

I think this is an awesome choice as a B-Day cake, and have asked for it on several occasions, but it's really up to what you like.

Well everyone has a different opinion - that's why there are different flavors of cakes. I find Red Velvet completely disgusting. I know that I am in a minority.

Unless the batter is very thick, you can stir in the buttermilk, vanilla, and vinegar. You aren't trying to avoid deflating anything, like egg whites, so folding isn't really necessary.

Red Velvet is definitely a weird cake. I don't dislike the taste but I don't exactly love it. I've tried quite a few different recipes (not the one you cited, though) and the one that consistently wins over the brides is this recipe: http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipes_rate-7027-5.html

Shola,

If you do follow the recipe combine the buttermilk, vinegar and vanilla together first.

Hmmm, okies, 1 yum , 1 yuck and 1 so so ! I think I will have to do a little tester and see!

You are welcome.

One more thing, I have found it is the chocolate that intensifies the red. So if you don't want to use alot of red food coloring, try adding a little bit of extra chocolate. Enjoy!

I just made red velvet yesterday for the 1st time and neither myself or my husband were fliiping for it. I can't say that we didn't like it, but we just couldn't figure it out ya know? I mean, what flavor is it? Is it chocolate...w/ only a few Tbsp of cocoa, I can't say it is....is it vanilla? Anyway, it looks beautiful and the texture seems nice. I'm just hoping my bride likes it!

Oh..and all that food coloring (2 oz) ...and I used slightly less, did leave a hint of an after taste.

I like Sarah's Red Velvet Cake here on cc. I never tasted RV before and was not sure what is was supposed to taste like. But I was looking for a recipe that used butter, because I heard the oil based RV recipe's taste gummy. I really liked the taste and texture and I let my co-workers test it, they loved it.

There is a really good red velvet recipe on Food Network (Bobby Flay Throwdown). Red velvet is a chocolate cake (hence the cocoa) and the vinegar reaction with the cocoa is what (initially) produced the reddish color. I personally love a good red velvet cake with super yummy cream cheese icing. Mixes don't do it justice.

I love Red Velvet Cake. People looking for a full chocolate cake probably will think Red Velvet tastes funny. It has just a hint of chocolate. I really like making the Enhanced Cake recipe that is here on CC and add chocolate instant pudding and a full cup of the buttermilk to it. No water. It does take a lot of red coloring, though. I use it with a DH Butter flavor mix.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-6948--Enhanced-Mix-Recipe.html

I also love Sarah's red velvet recipe and have gotten rave reviews on it. It's very moist and easy to make however, I did cut the red food coloring in 1/2.

I just made a red velvet for a cake last weekend. I had never made one before but found a nice recipe off of a different cake site by another user. It was a boxed cake mix doctored up. Instead of oil, you use the same amount of melted butter, and then instead of water use heavy whipping cream, add one extra egg, a box of instant chocolate pudding and just a few drops of red food coloring. I got a lot of compliments on this cake.

as for the fold question. I have been doing RV's since I was a young girl.... we always just add it to the mixture at the end and let the mixer handle it on a lower speed... HTH!

Is it too late to vote? I love red velvet cake(the kind with cocoa in it) some of my family members have been doctoring up white cake and trying to pass it off as a red velvet cake. All of the cakes have way too much red food coloring in them.

I just made a RV this week as a BD cake for one of my husband's employees and it received rave reviews. I used the recipe found in Elisa Strauss "The Confetti Cakes" cookbook. It really is best when frosted with cream cheese frosting.

Is it too late to vote? I love red velvet cake(the kind with cocoa in it) some of my family members have been doctoring up white cake and trying to pass it off as a red velvet cake. All of the cakes have way too much red food coloring in them.

I really like red velvet cake but I find that the cake alone can be a bit bland or boring. I think what makes red velvet great is the icing/cake combo. I use Paula Deen's recipe from her grandmother. The icing is especially delicious - marshmallow cream cheese. She also blends pecans and coconut in but I have made it without and it tastes great. Here is a link to the reicpe on food network:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_30653,00.html

Also a tip about the cake recipe: I have noticed that cake flour works better in red velvet than all purpose. Also, I don't use as much red food coloring as she does. I used half and the cake was still very red. You can adjust it to taste.

Sonia

I love red velvet cake, but I was raised on it. Cream cheese icing and pecans are a must-have for me! I use a 1 oz. bottle of red food coloring and it is perfect.

A real southern red velvet cake is hard to beat!

I use Cakeman Ravens recipe. It bakes into a wonderful dense cake, in nice very even 1 inch layers.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_23379,00.html

I don't fold in the buttermilk, but I definately don't overmix the batter.

I always use the McCormick recipe for this cake and it comes out nice and moist. I must disagree with everyone else though, and say that the old fashioned boiled icing is BEST on this cake. Just try it once and you'll agree too!
Cake: http://www.mccormick.com/recipedetail.cfm?id=11073

Icing:
ICING FOR RED VELVET CAKE  

1/2 c. Crisco
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. milk
3 tbsp. flour
3/4 tsp. vanilla

Beat Crisco and sugar in mixer until creamy. Mix milk and flour separate. Then add to above mixture. Add vanilla, beat until creamy and fluffy.

If I am running short on time, I sometimes will just doctor the boxed Red Velvet mix adding a tablespoon of cocoa and using milk instead of water. Everyone that has tried it has liked it and usually think it's from scratch.

I never quite see the purpose of all of the red food coloring used in red velvet cake, it turns me off. I would rather have a good German chocolate cake if I want light chocolate.
I have a recipe for Red Velvet cake which uses beets for the red color, which I think was how this cake first came about. I have yet to try it and wonder if any of you have tried it and if so what you thought of it.

I too like Elisa Strass's red velvet. I have had people BEG for it, and then get sick because they ate so much. I can't help your gluttony, but if you want to pay me for it, I'm all over it!!! This recipe uses oil, and man is it ever moist!!! SOOOO YUMMO!!! I do, however, warn people that it only has a hint of red to it, and isn't the blood-red that they see in magazines, because it really is a light-chocolate cake, and that the chemical reaction with the ingredients is what is supposed to give it the reddish tint.

I love Red Velvet & so does everyone in my family (& friends). The best paired w/ Cream Cheese Icing. (If you need it to crust there's a good recipe here on CC.)

I've Always used the Cake Mix Doctor's recipe b/c weather can effect the outcome of a RV cake. Here's the recipe.

Quick Red Velvet Cake

1 pkg German Chocolate Cake Mix W/ Pudding
1 C Sour Cream
1/2 C Water
1/4 C Vegetable Oil
1 oz bottle Red Food Color
3 Lg Eggs
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease & flour 2-- 9" cake pans.

Place ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Blend on low for 1 min. Stop & scrape down sides. Mix on medium for 2 to 3 min, until well blended. Divde batter into 2 pans & place in oven.

Bake until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger & they start to pull away from the sides--about 28-30 min. Remove from oven & cool on rack for 10 min. Run a dinner knife around each layer & invert onto rack. Allow to cool completely, about 30 min.

Store in a cake saver or covered in wax paper in the fridge for up to 1 week. Freeze wrapped in aluminum for up to 6 weeks. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. (of course this is w/ the cream cheese frosting)

Firstly ahhhh! Couldn't access CC all day!
Ok got that out my system

Wow so many recipies! Which one to try?! So cream cheese frosting seems to be the fave, do you guys use that to fill inside aswell?
Also does the red food colour give it any taste at all? Is it nessacary or just for looks?
What about choc frosting/filling?

I'm not a huge fan of Red Velvet cake but did find a recipe I liked. It calls for less red food coloring than others require so it doesn't have that funky red taste but is still a beautiful red. I've been told from Red velvet afficiondos that they like a thin layer of cake (about 1/2" layers) then a layer of cream cheese icing. It does taste better that way ( I usually use at least 1" layers in all of my other cakes) I also use a vanilla sugar syrup to brush the cake layers so they aren't too dry. ( I use about 1/4 C of cocoa, though, instead of the 2T in the recipe). Here's the recipe:

Melanie Mc.


Red Velvet Cake
Cook's Country (Cook's Illustrated sister publication)

Beyond this cakeâs shocking bright red color, thereâs something more--an extra-tender cake and fluffy cream cheese frosting. Hereâs what we discovered when we made this unusual cake:

Test Kitchen Discoveries


Buttermilk and vinegar react with the batterâs baking soda to create a fine, tender crumb. Thoroughly creaming the butter further helped to create the cakeâs velvety texture.
Despite the addition of cocoa, red velvet is not a chocolate cakeâthe cocoaâs just there for color. Two tablespoons added to the red food coloring produced the best color and gave the cake a pleasant cocoa flavor.

Red Velvet Cake


2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Pinch salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red food coloring
12 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Frosting

16 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
16 ounces cream cheese , cut into 8 pieces, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch salt

1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and eggs in large measuring cup. Mix cocoa with food coloring in small bowl until a smooth paste forms.

2. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as necessary. Add one-third of flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add half of buttermilk mixture and beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl as necessary and repeat with half of remaining flour mixture, remaining buttermilk mixture, and finally remaining flour mixture. Scrape down bowl, add cocoa mixture, and beat on medium speed until completely incorporated, about 30 seconds. Using rubber spatula, give batter final stir. Scrape into prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes then turn out onto rack to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.

3. For the frosting: With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Beat in vanilla and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.

4. When cakes are cooled, spread about 2 cups frosting on one cake layer. Top with second cake layer and spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 3 days.