Here in Newfoundland, red velvet cake is not a common flavour. Recently I've had a couple of requests for it for upcoming orders. I've never made one before but I've searched for recipes on the internet. My understanding is that basically it's a chocolate cake with red food colouring? Is this correct?

If you put red food colouring into it, does it affect the taste? Will it stain your lips or tongue red? What makes this flavour so appealing to so many people?

I'd love to hear about your experiences, tips or suggestions.

Thanks!

It is barely chocolate! My recipe only calls for 2 tbsp. The taste is really hard to describe - not white, not chocolate, but absolutely delicious!!!!! RV does not last long around my house. My favorite recipe is from Pink Cake Box and tastes delicious with cream cheese icing. Here is the link -

http://blog.pinkcakebox.com/recipes

Oh yeah - depending on how much red you use, it does get everywhere. Mouth, tongue, and anything that comes into contact with crumbs will be red! Still worth it though.

I've heard it described as more of a buttermilk cake with a slight chocolate undertone. Depending on the recipe, you may or may not have problems with the red staining everything. Some recipes call for 1 Tbsp of red, while others call for lots more. I haven't found that the red affects the flavor. A lot of people swear by this recipe, but I haven't tried it yet, can't wait to though!
http://www.cakemanraven.com/recipe.htm
Hope this helps!

I second the cake man raven's recipe. Ive tried a few different ones and like his the best. Its nice and moist. I had always thought it was a chocolate cake with red food coloring also, but its definetly not. And if you try to add too much cocoa powder it will make your cake dry! The cream cheese frosting with the pecans is the bomb!!

Just adding red food colour to a chocolate cake will not even come close to recreating the red velvet cake. There's something about the vinegar and buttermilk that pulls this cake together. It is my very favorite cake and the one that is most requested. Once you try one, you will be hooked.

Yep, have to agree!

The red food colouring does effect the taste of the cake. I've been told, by a couple of master bakers, that the cocoa powder is added to detract the bitter taste of the red food colouring.

According to King Arthur Flour, you can sub 1 teaspoon of red gel paste colour for the 2 ounces of standard food coloring (the supermarket type). That might take away some of the bitterness.

Yes, if you eat enough red velvet cake, it would stain your tongue, but that's part of the fun.

Red velvet cake is not only famous and appealing for it's novel colour, but for it's moistness and texture. It is a very moist cake, like velvet on the tongue (hence the name), and if made correctly, will become one of the most popular cakes in your repertoire. So, if you're not fond of the first recipe, try another, and another, until you find the one you love.

Sarah's Red Velvet Cake Tweaked, from our archives, has been praised by members here:

http://cakecentral.com/cake_recipes_fileid-print-recipeid-7377.html

I've also seen information on two different types of icing used on red velvet. One is the cream cheese icing, the other is a mock whipped icing.
You can find it in this recipe:

http://cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-1960-27-Waldorf-Astoria-Red-Velvet-Cake.html

Theresa

Good info, playingwithsugar. I always use a boiled icing with my red velvet. It's what was on the very first piece I ever tasted and what I've made ever since. The boiled icing is mild and doesn't detract from the cake flavor at all.

Thank you all for sharing your recipes, suggestions and your insight. Obviously I was way off base in thinking is was just an ordinary chocolate cake with red food colouring added. I just didn't get that concept! Now I know why!!!

I'm going to try your recipes because I'm dying to know if this cake flavour lives up to the rave reviews! (Any excuse to eat cake!!! )

I'll let you know how it turns out!!

Thanks,
Bev

Red Velvet is a very popular cake in the south.It is just barely a chocolate cake as far as red food color I use Wilton's No Taste Red color paste, works wonderfully. Good Luck!

I prefer the Waldorf-Astoria red velvet recipe (it's on recipezaar). It is my favorite cake and I really don't like cake at all! I love the boiled milk and flour icing! I've had it with cream cheese icing and it is just not the same.

Can anyone pm me with that bolied fabulous icing? lol I'd love to try it on my red velvet cake. Thanks

Mariu,

I took the recipe you suggested off of recipezaar. I only have one question -- can you decorate with that frosting? I just mean simple piping, etc., nothing too fancy --but does it smooth nicely?