I tried my first batch of red velvet and it turned out great! As I was trimming it I tasted the scraps and they were so yummy!! So I iced and decorated it with cream cheese frosting. After I did so, I realized I didn't know if the frosting needed to be kept refrigerated. So, rather than spoil a cake, I put it in the fridge. That was yesterday. Then today after dinner I took it out and sliced it up, putting the slices in baggies to freeze. I left one out for myself to eat and it was quite dry!
Is this because I kept it in the fridge? I always thought icing helped to keep the moisture in the cake. I've tried two week old cake before that had icing covering it and it was just as moist as the first day I made it.
Can anyone give me any clues? I used the Rose Red Velvet cake recipe from "Rose's Heavenly Cakes" and Edna's Crusting Cream Cheese Buttercream.
Hmm....I've had no problems refrigerating this cake. The vegetable oil keeps it moist. After refrigerating, did you taste it while the cake the cake was still cold? If so that could be the reason why it tasted dry. It needs to come up to room temp so that you get the full flavor and moistness of a fresh cake.
The recipe called for canola oil, so I used that. It also called for superfine sugar, which I went to the store and bought just for this cake. I was surprised at what a difference it makes! I might have to use that kind of sugar from now on!
The cake was still a little cool when I ate it. Maybe that was the issue. I was just afraid of the frosting spoiling as I've never made cream cheese frosting before. The only stuff I've worked with before was store bought and loaded with preservatives. I'll try another piece tomorrow that's come to room temp.
Whoops, you're right, it's canola oil. Let us know how the room temp taste test goes.
well i tried it room temp. Still dry.
I'm perplexed. I thought it was so good when I tried the scraps.
I have never, ever been able to make a red velvet cake that was moist enough for me. Not from a mix, not from scratch, not from a doctored mix. I've tried probably 10 recipes...and I don't even LIKE red velvet to begin with! But my hubby does. For now, I've given up. Though I will ask...did you cover the cake with anything when you put it in the fridge? Saran wrap maybe? That always helps (after the frosting has crusted).
Sounds strange... but try freezing it for a day. My cakes always seem more moist after they have been frozen 24 hrs and thawed.
Question: So does freezing a cake on pertain to this type of cake or does it work for regular cakes aswell. Just wondering thanks.
Reg cakes too.... I know it sounds strange lol
I have noticed that when I refrigerate Red Velvet cakes they tend to be dryer than if they were out the entire time. I do love the Cake Man Raven's recipe. Just do an internet search. I guarantee it will be moist and sweet enough. Whenever I make this cake people rave over it.
I don't have alot of experience with red velvet but I made the WASC red velvet variation and froze it. The cake was very moist even after being refrigerated. As is eveidenced by how gooey it looks in my pics of the cut seven layer. (wish I woulda cleaned it up before I took the pic! 
)
I measured by volume. And normally I would let my cakes sit out rather than chill them, but I was just concerned about the creamcheese frosting spoiling (i've never made cream cheese frosting before).
I'm going to try the Cake Man's recipe. I'm willing to try anything until I find a good recipe!
I use a b/c with a 1/4 of cream cheese to replace shortening.... it always holds up fine.
For a 2# bag of domino sugar , I use 1c cream cheese, 1/2c high ratio shortening and 1/2c butter, 2 tsp vanilla flavor, 1/2 tsp butter flavor, 1/16 tsp popcorn salt, 4Tb meringue powder, about 4Tb water (depending on weather), then the 2# bag of sugar,and NEVER have a problem leaving it out at room temp.
You may want to try this recipe again by measuring the ingredients by weitght. Rose is big on accuracy. If you had too much flour in the cake it could have caused it to be dry.
1 cup cake flour, sifted = 100 g
1 cup, lightly spooned = 114 g
1 cup, dip and sweep = 130 g (the difference here is an ounce bigger, than cake flour, sifted).
You can end up 3 ounces more flour with 3 cups of cake flour in a recipe with the volume measure. Besides measuring by weight will give you consistent results every time.
I invested in a digital scale and just love it.
I said I used a red velvet WASC version but it's listed on CC as Easy Red Velvet: http://cakecentral.com/recipes/7461/easy-red-velvet. I think I thought it a variant because the recipe is similar.
It made a really moist and flavorful cake that held up to the freezer, thaw, decorate and subsequent fridging.
I'm a stickler for food safety so the cream cheese frosted cakes always go in the fridge. Just because my thirty-something year old immune system can take some abuse doesn't mean my 4 year old daughter or 80 year old grandparents can take the same without getting sick.
Im gonna try that wasc version too. So that's 2 things to try. Along with my IMBC and SMBC that I would like to master!
I used the red velvet recipe on allrecipes (basically french vanilla cake with pudding and with a tbsp of cocoa, vinegar, and the red food colour) It was sooo moist and everyone at work went nuts over it - extremely easy too
I personally find that recipe to be just shy of dry with a very nice super fine crumb. I'm sure the fridge pushed it over the edge. I stick with Cakeman Raven's RV, changed to my tast. I also don't refridgerate the cake cause of the cream cheese. NO one has EVER gotten sick and I make them on a regular basis. Heck, I've even made it with actual cheesecake between the layers and it was fine the next day.
Well I just tried the Easy Red Velvet recipe tonight. I tasted the stuff I trimmed off the top and it just tastes a touch like chocolate cake. Hmmm.
Is red velvet supposed to taste like chocolate cake with a hint of red color? I made 2 8" rounds and 2 6" rounds. Practicing stacking a cake. I used the rest of my cream cheese icing from earlier as a filling and iced the whole thing with regular buttercream. Actually a new recipe (Buttercream Dream). I do like how the flavor is more buttery. But it's quite soft. I prefer a heavier frosting I think just because it's easier to decorate with somehow. That doesn't really make any sense. I just hope everything tastes alright when I cut into it!
At least I have another cake for my portfolio!
Not at all! It's supposed to have a "whisper" of chocolate cake on top of it's own unique flavor. A lot of people say it's just like a chocolate cake, colored red, and that is very inaccurate.
I made my first Red Velvet Cake tonight, almost forgot to put the oil in 
! Thankfully I caught it before baking it. I used Chef Stephs recipe from CC. After reading these posts I sure hope it turns out. Guess i'll have to wait till it's done baking. Also I always freeze my cakes before icing and have never had trouble with them being dry.
A few months ago I did a Red Velvet Cake taste test where I baked 8 different RV recipes and had 25+ people at work select their favorite. The winner was Cake Man Ravens Red Velvet and in second place was the Pastry Queens Rebecca Rather Red Velvet. A few days after the first RV taste test I found Roses Red Velvet recipe so I had a second round of taste test. Cake Man Raven came out #1 again.
If you want to see all the results check out my blog:
http://thebakemore.blogspot.com/2009/11/ultimate-red-velvet-cake-taste-off-8.html
http://thebakemore.blogspot.com/2009/12/red-velvet-taste-test-round-2.html
Yesterday I made Cake Man Raven's Red Velvet cake recipe that is on his website. It turned out so moist and delicious. The only thing that I changed is that I used much less red food coloring (about a teaspoon in total). I got many compliments on the cake when I brought it to work.
I also made cake man ravens red velvet yesterday along with the recipe from McCormack (the ones that make the red dye) and asked all my friends to vote. It was funny but all the women loved cake man ravens and all the men liked McCormacks with only one exception. Now I am in a quandry as I need to make RV for a order and I don't know which one to use. LOL so much for my taste test
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