BEST Southern Red Velvet Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Which cocoa powder is best for red velvet cake? ›

Cocoa powder: Both Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder will work for this red velvet cake recipe. I use 3 tablespoons for a slightly more noticeable chocolate taste to the cake, but 2 tablespoons is pretty standard for most red velvet cakes.

Chocolate cake is often pretty moist and dense, while red velvet cake is typically has a much lighter biter. The difference in texture between the two is because of the vinegar and buttermilk used in red velvet cakes that help to lend a softer and much more tender texture.

Red velvet cakes also generally contain both buttermilk and vinegar, which, when combined with unprocessed cocoa, make for a tighter crumb texture and a tangier flavor than traditional chocolate cake.

Red velvet cake gets its moisture from the buttermilk and oil in the recipe. If you do not add enough liquid, the cake can turn out dry. Make sure to measure the buttermilk and oil accurately and do not skip these ingredients.

Why is Guittard Cocoa Rouge the best cocoa powder? Saffitz's—and the BA Test Kitchen's—favorite high-quality brand for Dutch-processed cocoa powder is Guittard Cocoa Rouge. It has complex, bitter tasting notes and yields silky, fudge-like results when baked into desserts.

No, it is not necessary to add vinegar to a cake. Some cake recipes may call for vinegar as an ingredient, but it is not a required component in all cake recipes. The use of vinegar in cake recipes is typically intended to react with baking soda to create carbon dioxide, which helps the cake rise.

White wine vinegar is a good substitute as it is also fairly mild. You could also use lemon juice or cream of tartar. The substitutes should be used in the same quantities as the cider vinegar (i.e. 1 teaspoon each).

“You can use substitutes for pretty much any of the ingredients,” King says. “I prefer apple cider vinegar for its subtle kick, but any standard vinegar will do. And if you'd rather swap sour cream or yogurt for the buttermilk, that works just as well.”

Our answer

There are two possible reasons why the cake tasted metallic and these are the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) or the red food colouring. Bicarbonate of soda can have a metallic or soapy taste if it is not used alongside acidic ingredients.

What makes red velvet cake so expensive? ›

Unlike many people claim, its not just tainted chocolate cake. The cocoa powder is used in less quantity and the taste develops by the mixing of vinegar and buttermilk with the cocoa powder. The recipe involves many ingredients in small quantity. The frosting- if used cream cheese is an expensive element in itself.

The velvet in the name refers to the light, tender crumb. The original recipes included vinegar or buttermilk, along with cocoa powder, which reacted with the acid to turn a dark reddish brown. The color was completely unlike the modern red velvet cake with its bright red food coloring.

Oh yes, you sure can. This recipe has a combination of butter and oil to give off that nice buttery taste while keeping it soft and moist at the same time. Cake using pure butter tends to be more dense and dry compared to adding oil into the batter.

The most crucial tip? Instead of buying an entire box of cake flour, simply incorporate two tablespoons of cornstarch into 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour. This blocks the formation of gluten in the flour, which produces a lighter, fluffier cake.

Red Velvet Cake is a popular dish in the Southern United States. Although traditional recipes vary from modern ones, it's now typically made with a small amount of cocoa powder, buttermilk, vinegar, and red food coloring as staple ingredients.

The Origins of Red Velvet Cake

Starting in the 1800s, cooks began adding cocoa powder to cake mix to soften the protein in the flour. Before this, cakes had a drier, more crumbly texture. Adding cocoa powder resulted in a lighter, fluffier cake, eventually earning the name "velvet cake."

If you don't use it, the cake will have a dark reddish-brown color (but will still taste equally delicious, so feel free to omit if you don't want to use it). Cocoa powder: I use 2 tablespoons in my recipe, which is just right to get the color and flavor that I look for.

Its higher acidity joins forces with the buttermilk and baking soda, resulting in that soft, almost melt-in-your-mouth texture we all love in a cake layer. Natural cocoa powder is lighter in color, which gives a more vibrant red hue to your red velvet cake.