Is This The Norm?? (Red Velvet Cake Icing Question)
Baking By Jayde Updated 12 Jun 2009 , 1:17am by ziggytarheel
Here in the midwest, I dont get too many orders for red velvet cake. I really dont get ANY orders for a traditional southern red velvet cake.
Well I got my first, its for a grandma who grew up in the south. So to all of you southerners, is it the norm to use toasted pecans and flaked coconut in your icing? Or is it just a person to person preference?
Yes, the toasted pecans is traditional in the cooked frosting. The coconuts, to my knowledge, are optional.
Here in the midwest, I dont get too many orders for red velvet cake. I really dont get ANY orders for a traditional southern red velvet cake.
Well I got my first, its for a grandma who grew up in the south. So to all of you southerners, is it the norm to use toasted pecans and flaked coconut in your icing? Or is it just a person to person preference?
Southerner born and bred who has seen and eaten many red velvet cakes and seen pictures and recipes of many more. I've never HEARD of flaked coconut in icing for that cake.
The tradition is either cream cheese icing (my favorite), or I believe a Mary Kay frosting or even a 7 minute.
I've only see pecans and flaked coconut on German Chocolate cakes.
HTH
I've never heard of coconut in the icing either! I have always had/seen them with cream cheese icing. I've seen the sides rolled in nuts.
I have a very old red velvet cake recipe. The icing is cooked and has pecans and coconut. Evidently the pecans and coconut have fallen out of favor generally. I love the cooked icing and much prefer it to the cream cheese icing that has become popular.
I just pulled the book Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations by Nancie McDermott off my shelf. It has the Red Velvet Cake with cooked icing with coconut and pecans. Always nice to see someone other than me does something a certain way. 
LOL, I dont know if this helps guys! The granddaughter and grandson came in to order it, and neither one of them has ever had a red velvet cake before. I presented a tiny sample with my cream cheese icing recipe for a taste. They just mostly emphasized that they wanted a traditional Southern Red Velvet Cake.
I asked about pecans and coconut and they just repeated the 'traditional cake' thing.
I guess you have to remember that the "south" is a very big place that varies ...a lot!
In the county I live in, for example, my husband and I can pick out several different distinct accents, depending on which part of the county you are from. I imagine each of those areas has their own recipe for red velvet cake!
Can someone ask grandma what she likes in a red velvet cake?
I think with all of the mixed southern icing combos, I am going to have to call tomorrow and just have them make a decision. I think the cake is a suprise to grandma, so asking her might not be in the cards. Pecans or no Pecans?!?! That is the question!!
I have had RV cake with coconut in the batter. It was good. Lots of ppl don't prefer coconut or a lot of nuts. I'd go really light on both of them in the icing
That's hilarious! Glad you got an answer! I made a red velvet cake today, but the cake recipient didn't want cream cheese icing. I felt like I was breaking federal law. 
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