Red Velvet Cake

[mdt]

OK, scrap the cheesecake; I'll bring a Red Velvet Cake, instead.

What recipe do you use for RVC?

[Barbara]

What recipe do you use for RVC?

One that requires cocoa and red food coloring.

[NotQuickDraw]

One that requires cocoa and red food coloring.

I've never tried to bake one, but I think there is buttermilk and vinegar involved.

[Barbara]

I've never tried to bake one, but I think there is buttermilk and vinegar involved.

That, too. (Those of you who object to food coloring will have many other desserts to sample. This type of cake isn't in the category of "Health Food" in the first damn place.)

[mdt]

One that requires cocoa and red food coloring.

Ok, I guess I need to be more direct. Do you have a recipe that you like and would be willing to share?

[grover]

I've never tried to bake one, but I think there is buttermilk and vinegar involved.

I once made a RVC with this recipe from www.gourmet.com. My southern born husband liked it a lot.

[LaShanta]

Ok, I guess I need to be more direct. Do you have a recipe that you like and would be willing to share?

I have one that I swear by!! I have brought it to work multiple times and my co-workers love it!

I don't know how to do all that fancy hyperlink stuff, so I just have to cut and paste.

Oh, and don't be intimidated by having to make the frosting from scratch. It is soooooo easy--is basiclly idiot-proof (I know, because I did it!).

Southern Red Velvet Cake courtesy Cakeman Raven, Cakeman Raven Confectionery, NYC

Vegetable oil for the pans

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows

Crushed pecans, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour 3 (9 by 1 1/2-inch round) cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.

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 30 minutes.

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.

Frost the cake. Place 1 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. Sprinkle the top with the pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, softened

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)

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 3 days.

Yield: enough to frost a 3 layer (9-inch) cake

[Escoffier]

I once made a RVC with this recipe from www.gourmet.com. My southern born husband liked it a lot.

I liked it so much that I said it was as good as my mothers...and my son's girlfriend asks if she'd going to make another one any time soon.

[mdt]

Thanks! I take it that cream cheese frosting is required for the standard version.

[Barbara]

I once made a RVC with this recipe from www.gourmet.com. My southern born husband liked it a lot.

I used that epicurious recipe last summer when I made this cake for a party. I am going to try a somewhat different cake this time. And, I have found a frosting recipe that SEEMS to be more reminiscent of what my mother used to make; i.e., NOT the cream cheese frosting, but one that tastes almost like whipped cream--eventhough there is no cream in it. Like mktye, I am looking to avoid trans-fats wherever possible, so will not use a recipe that requires Crisco (or any other vegetable shortening).

WHICH BRINGS UP THE QUESTION: Since there will be a chili tasting, and a roast pig tasting, AND, since we were able to sample two different Tres Leches cakes at the Spring picnic, would someone (or two) care to try his/her hand at a Red Velvet Cake? There are a zillion recipes out there. One cake won't be big enough to go around--that cheesecake I made for the last picnic disappeared FAST.

Thanks! I take it that cream cheese frosting is required for the standard version.

Actually, I don't believe so. It is, however, awfully good and very easy to make. Just trying to find the true origin of this cake has stumped a lot of people, so unless some archeologist unearths the original recipe, we can only do our best and put it our there.

[mktye]

Like mktye, I am looking to avoid trans-fats wherever possible, so will not use a recipe that requires Crisco (or any other vegetable shortening).

Whole Foods carries a trans-fat free shortening if you get in a bind recipe-wise and cannot (or don't want to) substitute butter. I don't recall the name of it, but I found it in the refrigerated section with the butters at the Alexandria WF.

I've only used it in a cracker recipe, so I don' know how it will be in a cake -- you might want to do a practice run if using it in that application.

[cheezepowder]

Whole Foods carries a trans-fat free shortening if you get in a bind recipe-wise and cannot (or don't want to) substitute butter. I don't recall the name of it, but I found it in the refrigerated section with the butters at the Alexandria WF.

There's also a trans-fat free Crisco.

[LaShanta]

I used that epicurious recipe last summer when I made this cake for a party. I am going to try a somewhat different cake this time. And, I have found a frosting recipe that SEEMS to be more reminiscent of what my mother used to make; i.e., NOT the cream cheese frosting, but one that tastes almost like whipped cream--eventhough there is no cream in it. Like mktye, I am looking to avoid trans-fats wherever possible, so will not use a recipe that requires Crisco (or any other vegetable shortening).

WHICH BRINGS UP THE QUESTION: Since there will be a chili tasting, and a roast pig tasting, AND, since we were able to sample two different Tres Leches cakes at the Spring picnic, would someone (or two) care to try his/her hand at a Red Velvet Cake? There are a zillion recipes out there. One cake won't be big enough to go around--that cheesecake I made for the last picnic disappeared FAST.

That works for me! Sign me up for Red Velvet Cake!! We can have our very own red velvet cake tasting!

[mame11]

An interesting recipe that I thought I'd share from the Commercial Appeal's recipe finder:

Red Velvet Pound Cake

Cake:

1 cup softened butter or margarine

1/2 cup shortening

3 cups sugar

7 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 bottle (1 oz.) red food coloring

3 cups cake flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

Cream cheese frosting:

2 pkgs. (3 oz. each) cream cheese

4 tbsp. butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 box (16 oz.) confectioners' sugar

1 to 2 tbsp. milk

1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine butter, shortening and sugar. Cream together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Add vanilla and food coloring to mixture and mix well.

Combine flour and salt and add to creamed mixture, a little at a time, alternating between the flour and milk until all have been used. Mix well after each addition.

Pour batter into a well-greased and floured tube cake pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle.

Remove from oven and allow cake to cool 10 minutes in the pan. Cool completely on rack. Invert onto plate before frosting.

To make cream cheese frosting, combine butter and cream cheese, blending until smooth. Stir in vanilla, blending well. Stir in confectioners' sugar and mix until creamy, adding milk until you get the consistency you desire. Add pecans and stir well. Spread on cooled cake.

[Biscuit Girl]

QUOTE(Barbara @ Sep 21 2006, 11:04 AM)

OK, scrap the cheesecake; I'll bring a Red Velvet Cake, instead.

What recipe do you use for RVC?

Why not combine both? I made a Red Velvet Cheesecake last year that was incredible. It came from Southern Living and was easy to make.

Here's the link to my blog post about it, complete with pictures and the recipe: Red Velvet Cheesecake