Red Velvet Cake tastes like chocolate cake mixed with cream cheese frosting. The cake has a rich, moist texture and a deep red color.
It is made from cocoa powder, sugar, butter or shortening, eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, vinegar, food coloring, and flour. Red Velvet Cake can be served plain as dessert or topped with icing for an extra treat!
Easy red velvet cake recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of unsalted butter
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 3 large egg whites
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
- Grease two 9 inch round pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl combine 1 ¾ cups of sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; whisk until smooth.
- Add in one tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency.
- Transfer mixture into another small bowl and set aside.
- Place remaining ingredients except for flour in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed. Once combined add in dry ingredients and mix well.
- Fold batter by hand using a rubber spatula.
- Divide evenly between prepared pan.
- Bake cakes for 30-35 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing from pan.
- Frost top of each layer with half of your favorite cream cheese frosting then spread it around the sides of the cake. Top with the second layer and repeat the process.
- Serve immediately or wrap tightly and store up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
What are some other flavors that go great together?
Does red velvet cake taste different than chocolate cake?
Red velvet cake tastes like chocolate cake, but has a deeper color and slightly sweeter distinct flavors. The difference between the two cakes is due to the use of food coloring instead using bit of cocoa powder.
The chocolate cake uses cocoa powder which gives off a bitter aftertaste while red velvet cake contains no cocoa powder so there’s none of this bitterness.
This means that red velvet cake will have more sweetness because of the addition of sugar. If you want to make sure that your cake doesn’t get too sweet just reduce the amount of sugar used when making the cake.
You may also try adding less liquid if you think the cake needs more moisture.
Why did my red velvet cake turn brown?
The main cause of your red velvet cake turning brown is oxidation. Oxidation occurs when oxygen reacts with certain compounds, such as sugar, fat, and protein.
When you bake your red velvet cake, the granulated sugar caramelizes and turns brown.
This causes the cake to become dry and crumbly. To prevent oxidation from occurring, you should store your cakes in airtight containers.
Another way to avoid oxidation is to place your cake inside a freezer bag first. Then seal the bag closed and freeze overnight.
After freezing, remove the cake from the bag and thaw it slowly overnight in the fridge. Make sure not to leave the cake outside of the fridge for longer periods of time.
What kind of food coloring should I use?
Food coloring comes in different colors, such as red, blue, green, yellow, orange, purple, pink, brown, and black, and in different forms. You can use gel food coloring, liquid food coloring, or natural food dyes.
The color of food coloring depends on the type of food product you want to dye. If you want to dye a cake, then you need to use red food coloring.
However, if you want to dye a drink, then you need to add blue food coloring.
How do I frost my red velvet cake?
To frost your red velvet cake, simply follow these steps:
- First, prepare your cream cheeses frosting according to package directions.
- Next, pour cream cheese frosting onto cooled cake and let sit for about 10-15 seconds.
- Using an offset spatula, gently swirl icing across surface of cake.
- Repeat step twice. Allow the coat of frosting to harden for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Can I substitute white wine vinegar for baking soda?
Yes, you can replace baking soda with a tbsp of vinegar. White vinegar works very similarly to baking soda. It helps leaven baked goods and acts as a tenderizer.
For best results, use equal amounts of both baking soda and white vinegar.
Provided that they are stored properly, neither one will spoil or go bad. However, if left out at room temperature, either could start to smell sour. So keep them away from heat sources and other foods.
If you’re looking for another option, you can always mix 1/4 cup of lemon juice into 2 cups of water. This mixture makes a great alternative to using baking soda.
You’ll still be able to achieve similar effects by mixing up some homemade apple cider vinegar.
Is there any benefit to using Butter or Shortening Instead Of Oil?
Butter and shortening are solid fats at room temperature. They’re great for cooking since they melt easily into foods without burning them.
Oils are liquids at room temperature. They don’t burn well unless heated above their melting point.
Since oils are liquids, they tend to separate out during storage. That’s why we recommend storing all types of oils in sealed glass bottles.
Should I Grease Pans Before Making My Red Velvet Cake?
Greasing pans isn’t necessary. In fact, greasing pans makes it harder to clean up sticky messes later. But if you’d rather grease your pan than line it with parchment paper,
Here’s how to go about doing it.
Use nonstick spray to coat bottom of pan. Place a piece of waxed paper directly on top of sprayed side of pan.
Press down firmly so that excess spray doesn’t drip off. Remove waxed paper after a couple of minutes.
You’ll notice that the sides of the pan will be slightly shiny. Don’t worry! Just wipe away extra coating with damp cloth.
As long as you’ve got a good seal around the edges of the pan, no oil is going anywhere.
What gives red velvet cake its flavor?
Red velvet cake has a rich chocolate flavor, which comes from cocoa powder. The color comes from food coloring.
Cake flour adds structure while making sure cakes stay moist. And eggs help create air pockets inside the batter, giving rise to fluffy texture.
In addition, homemade buttermilk provides moisture and tangy flavor. All this combined creates a delicious dessert recipe.
Making cream cheese frosting is easy. Here’s what you need:
1 stick unsalted butter softened
2 cups powdered sugar sifted
3 Tablespoons milk
Beat together until smooth. Add more milk if needed.
Store refrigerated in a covered container.