Traditional Red Velvet Cake

When you think of a showstopper cake for Valentine's, Red Velvet Cake comes to mind.  It's a beloved flavor of the South. 

 Waldorf Astoria Cake

Red Velvet cake, sometimes called a Waldorf Astoria Cake, is a wonderfully delicious cake with traditional vintage frosting.

Red velvet cake is a signature dessert made famous at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City during the 1920s. 

I think its popularity has come back in the last few years.

I must say this is one of the most challenging cakes I have made, but it is so worth the trouble to make it. 

The recipe I most like to use for the cake is from Bobby Flay because it makes a large cake.  

More times than not I make it with a buttercream icing, but this vintage icing is traditional.

WHERE CAN I FIND THE RECIPE?  TAKE ME TO THE RECIPE FOR TRADITIONAL RED VELVET CAKE

Below, under the next heading, I give a list of preferred ingredients, tips, and cooking instructions for Traditional Red Velvet Cake and similar recipe ideas you can have.

Or you can scroll down to the bottom, where you will find a full printable recipe card with amounts of the ingredients and complete instructions with notes.

TIPS AND TIDBITS TO MAKING THE BEST RED VELVET CAKE

Room temperature ingredients.  Bring eggs, butter, and any other dairy ingredients to room temperature.  Take ingredients out of the refrigerator at least an hour before baking.  This will allow for maximum volume in the cake.  I like to use Imperial Pure Cane Sugar.

Use name brand ingredients as much as possible.  Store brand sugar is often finer ground and will measure more sugar per cup than needed, changing the texture of the cake.  Store brand butter contains more water and less butter fat, changing the volume of the cake batter.  Trust me, I have seen the difference numerous times when I tried to go with the store brand when baking cakes.   I like to use Land of Lakes or Kerrygold Butter.  

Red Color.  When I first wrote the recipe for the blog, I used bottled red food coloring. I recently switched to using gel food coloring.  It has a more bold red color and is easy to use.

Beating slowly.  It is important to slowly beat the sugar and softened butter, not adding too much air while beating.  When beating it too fast, the butter will not hold up when adding the eggs, becoming too liquid.  

Beating eggs.  Add the eggs one at a time and only beat in the yolk until it disappears.  Overheating the eggs causes the crust on the cake to have a crumbly texture and release from the cake as it cools.

Begin and end with dry ingredients.  Always begin and end by adding the dry ingredients to the egg and butter mixture.  This will prevent the batter from curdling.  

Avoid over-mixing.  Only mix just until the batter is blended, being sure not to overmix.  Overmixing the batter once the last flour has been added will produce a tough and rubbery cake.

All cake pans are not equal.  Dark-coated pans absorb and retain heat, increasing the risk of overbaking the cake layers.

Grease pan.  Grease the cake pans with solid shortening.  I prefer to use Crisco.  Always dust with flour.  A slippery surface will keep the batter from rising to its full volume.  

Center of the oven.  Place the cake pans in the oven on the rack positioned in the center of the oven.  Keep the door closed until the cake has reached its maximum doneness.  After testing the cake, if it needs more time, gently close the door to prevent the cake from falling.

Use a long wooden skewer.  Use a long wooden skewer to reach down in the center of the cake, not touching the bottom of the pan, to test for doneness.  Pull from the oven when a few crumbs come out on the skewer.  The cake will continue to cook after removing it from the oven, so resist putting it back in the oven.

Letting cool.  After removing the cake pans from the oven, place them on a rack and let them cool for 10-15 minutes.  The cake will become more stable when removed from the pan and placed on a serving plate.  I do not advise leaving the cake in the pan too long. This will actually cause the cake to settle in the pan, making it more difficult to remove.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE RED VELVET CAKE

CAKE

Flour

Cocoa powder
Baking soda
Salt 
Butter
Sugar
Vegetable oil
Eggs
Vanilla
Red food color
Buttermilk

VINTAGE FROSTING

Heavy cream
Whole milk
Vanilla bean paste
Flour
Butter
Sugar

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Cream cheese
Butter
Confectioner sugar
Half and half or heavy cream

Vanilla

HOW TO MAKE RED VELVET CAKE

CAKE
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans and line each pan with a round of parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.

Cream the butter, sugar, and oil in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl, and beat until incorporated.

Beat in the vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring.

Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches alternating with the buttermilk, mixing well after each addition.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Cool on a baking rack for 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pans.

Let cool completely before frosting. 

VINTAGE FROSTING

Combine the cream, milk, vanilla bean, and seeds in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Remove the vanilla bean and discard it. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened to a paste, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours.

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until the mixture is very fluffy and the sugar is totally dissolved, about 6 minutes.

Add the cold paste, a few tablespoons at a time, to the butter mixture and whip until light and fluffy.

After the cake is cooled completely, arrange the cake.

Place the one layer on a cake plater.  Scoop about 3/4 cup of the cream cheese frosting on the first layer. 

Spread evenly across the layer to the edge.  

Repeat this with the other two layers, frosting the sides after the final layer.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until creamy smooth. 

Add a splash of half and half if needed to get a smooth, spreadable texture.

After the cake is cooled completely, arrange the cake.

Place the one layer on a cake platter.  

Scoop about 3/4 cup of the cream cheese frosting on the first layer. 

Spread evenly across the layer to the edge.  

Repeat this with the other two layers, frosting the sides after the final layer.

WHERE YOU WILL SEE THIS RECIPE

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