I got all excited when I saw beet powder at Kalustyan’s. My mind was buzzing, I was doing cartwheels (in my imagination)… I was going to make a red velvet cake I could eat (I’m allergic to artificial food coloring). Yipee!
Uh no, with some quick research, I found this article, here’s an exert:
“Food purists seeking to replicate the color, flavor and cooking method of a traditional red velvet cake by merely substituting natural food coloring for artificial colors will run into a series of obstacles. These occur because natural food dyes and pigments, like the pigment in beet powder, are sensitive to both heat and pH and change color when combined with baking soda or baking powder.”
Bummer…Mega Bummer!
Rest assured, we will look into this some more, but this time, we needed a cake that day, so we pulled out a recipe Lon has used before from Cakeman Raven. He is renowned for his authentic, Southern Red Velvet Cake. The distinguishing factor is that his cake actually tastes like red velvet — that is it has strong accents from the vinegar and buttermilk. Red Velvet shouldn’t just be coloured red, it should taste a certain way.
This was a perfect choice for Sophia’s birthday, she really wanted cream cheese frosting, and this has A LOT of it.
Southern Red Velvet Cake
Recipe adapted from Cakeman Raven, Cakeman Raven Confectionery, NYC
~makes 9-inch, three-tier cake. 8-12 Servings.
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups All Purpose Flour + Extra for Pans
- 1.5 cups Sugar
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1 tsp. Table Salt
- 1 tsp. Cocoa Powder
- 1.5 cups Vegetable Oil + Extra for Pans
- 1 cup Buttermilk (room temperature)
- 2 Eggs (room temperature)
- 2 tbsp. Red Food Coloring (1 oz.)
- 1 tsp. White Distilled Vinegar
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
- 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Shavings
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour 3 (9″ by 1.5-inch round) cake pans; line bottom of pans with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a stand mixer, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla until color is consistent.
3. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.
4. Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.
5. Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.
6. Frost the cake. Place one layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Leaning the cake on its side, apply chocolate shavings to the edges.
Cream Cheese Frosting
makes enough to frost a 3 layer (9-inch) cake
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/2 lb.Unsalted Butter (1 cup / 2 sticks), softened
- 4 cups Sifted Confectioners’ Sugar
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Instructions
1. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about five minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)
2. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for three days.
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i TOTALLY saw cakeman raven on foodnetwork! he’s quite a character and so easily loveable!
This cake looks beautiful!
I have never understood the purpose of the food coloring in this product.
I wonder if this post might help: http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/valentines-day-gluten-free-red-velvet-cupcake-recipe-with-no-food-coloring-2645.html
The history of red velvet cake sounds rather interesting, and I wonder about the validity of bakers using beets (the link mentions this also) if the color/taste/texture is altered significantly. I’ve sent an email to my librarian friend who specializes in food history (and is a trained pastry chef! pretty cool albeit eccentric, eh?) and I’ll let you know what I find out! It would be a shame to miss out on such a tasty cake.
yummmmm
Your cake looks awesome!
Send us a couple of large slices..pleeeze :0)
EMC, I would love, love, love any info on how to get myself a big hunk of Red Velvet Cake!
folks, that is GORGEOUS. i always (proudly) say, the more cream cheese frosting, the better, so i’m loving this. really nicely done.
Did you get to eat any? I’d be upset if I couldn’t have any.
Wonders, I took one tiny bite. =( Luckily someone else brought cupcakes so I had a lovely rich chocolate cupcake.
Looooooove red velvet cake, but I feel bad that you only got a tiny bite of this beauty you made! Still, chocolate cupcake sounds pretty satisfying as well
Oh my goodness I was just looking for a red velvet cake recipe for mother’s day and I saw this cake with my name!
Although the cake in my opinion is always better with the traditional icing!
I love red velvet cake! Ever since I was a little girl I have been crazy about Dierbergs bakerys’ Red Velvet cake in St. Louis MO. It’s sold cold and I think it tastes the best that way, you have to try it!!
Kim, I’m not sure if I’ll ever be in St. Louis but maybe Sheng can go try it for me.
MMmmmm you chocolate flakes on your cake, good idea!!! I made a red velvet cake last weekend for my brothers birthday and used this recipe http://www.howcast.com/videos/139827-How-To-Make-Red-Velvet-Cake . The cake was absolutely delicious and I am going to try making cup cakes next time.
Has anyone made the cake without any die? I don’t care what it looks like, just what it taste like. I’m also allergic to die and thought about trying the cake without any color. Anyone tried it yet?
Hi Annie, I have not yet tried it without die but if you don’t care what it looks like, it will be absolutely delicious. The die does not impart any flavor or special chemical reaction.
I make Red Velvet Cake without dye on a regular basis, it tends to come out just a little bit heavier, so I would recommed adding a replacement liquid (I use water). The cake ends up tasting exactly the same, the only real problem is having to answer the great “where’s the food coloring” question.
Amy, I’m surprised you have to use another liquid. What recipe do you use?