Okay I just made a Chocolate-Red Velvet Cake from the magazine Southern Living. Here is the recipe.

1 cup butter, soft
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 8z sour cream
2 tsps vanilla extract
2 1oz. bottles red fool coloring

I made mine with 1 bottle of red coloring and it is very red. Now I have never made red velvet cake nor tried it before. So I tried this recipe and it was very easy to make/follow. I just tasted it and tastes good, but more like a cookie cake then a chocolate cake. It isn't chocolatey at all.

So my question now is. Is Red velvet cake supposed to be chocolatey???
or did this cake not come out as it should.

HELP!

bump

I've never had a red velvet cake that tasted like chocolate. It has just enough chocolate in it to make it taste...not vanilla. Personally, the overwhelming blandness paired with the chemical taste from the food coloring is unappealing. I've never had a red velvet cake I liked.

But back to your question, no, the cake should not taste like a chocolate cake. You did everything right.

I don't "get" red velvet either. It's a weak chocolate cake with no chocolate flavor and tons of red dye. blargh. Yes, it sounds like you made a perfect one!

I made a red velvet for the first time several month ago and absolutely loved it. I'm not a big chocolate fan, beleive it or not, so it was just right. There was just enough chocolate in the mix in my opinion, but I guess it all depends on preference. Don't really understand why there is so much red food coloring, I'm sure there is a good reason for it, or maybe just a good story. So yes you probably got the recipe right. I've had red velvet that taste a differently depending on the recipe this is my favorite.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2259-Sarahs-Red-Velvet-Cake---a-tradition-of-excellence.html

As a lover (AND snob -don't even try to frost it w/ cream cheese) of red velvet cakes - I can answer w/ an affirmative YES it is suppose to have a chocolate flavour. Red velvet is reminiscient of a devils food cake but is a gorgeous red colour instead.

Just by looking at that recipe that you originally used (and while the quantity of ingredients may be proportionate) there is too much flour in that recipe to yield a tender cake, and I'm also going to say the quantity of eggs is WAY too many to give a delicate texture...eggs are a binder and a protein and w/ that many eggs you wouldn't get a great cake...not to mention the use of sour cream while it may impart moisture is also going to make a dense cake.

I wouldn't say that you messed up as much as I would say you didn't have a good recipe.

Try my recipe that I've got posted in the cc recipe section (Sarah's red velvet) - trust me when I say I know my red velvet cakes, and the recipe I have shared has the compliments to back it up...just make sure to use the right type of frosting for an authentic Red Velvet...don't be fooled by cakes that masquerade as Red Velvet w/ nasty cream cheese frosting, and you'll do great!

Well the cake was an absolute hit!!

I made it with the cream cheese as filling and iced in buttercream. It got rave reviews and was totally gone! I even had a comment from a woman stating it was better than her grandma's recipe. I got two orders out of it. I am thrilled!

I don't know if most red velvet cakes do taste like a chocolate cake, because I have read in many posts and on the internet that red velvet only requires a few tablespoons of cocoa. But then again everybodys recipes are different as well as tastes.

This one is a keeper for me!

Are you saying you used the recipe that I submitted (Sarah's red velvet) ...but frosted it w/ cream cheese frosting - I hope not

Ahh Okay I was just wondering...I guess I'm just a snob when it comes to RVC