

Add half the dry ingredients to wet ingredients, beating until just combined. Step 2 In another large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition then add vanilla. In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Line two 8" round cake pans with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray. But, if cream cheese just really isn't your favorite, try our classic buttercream instead! Tried this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!Įditor's Note: After reviewing comments of the cake being dry, we retested and updated the recipe on January 13, 2022. The tanginess of the cream cheese paired with the chocolate and slight tang of the buttermilk is why this duo is a classic pair. Personally, we think the classic red velvet and cream cheese combo is unbeatable. If you have a gel based dye, which are usually more pigmented, you will be able to use less food coloring, possibly around half as much. The 2 tablespoons called for in this recipe is assuming you're using a classic water based dye like McCormick. You want to generously color the chocolate batter so that after baking it's a beautiful bright red. The more concentrated your food coloring, the better for this cake. The buttermilk and vinegar combo + the cream cheese frosting gives that signature tang to the cake that really sets it apart from classic chocolate cake. Apart from the signature red color, red velvet cake also has vinegar added into the batter which results in an extra light and fluffy cake paired with the buttermilk. While red velvet cake is very similar to chocolate cake, there are a few factors that set it apart. What’s the difference between red velvet cake and chocolate cake? With a rich chocolate flavor, a fluffy texture and a tangy cream cheese icing, this dessert was made to impress. This layered cake is a staple recipe to keep in your back pocket for any birthday parties or the final sweet treat to a romantic date night. We're so glad this cake has come back into favor over the last decade or so.Looking for a way to show just how much you care this Valentine’s Day? If so, you can’t go wrong with a decadent red velvet cake. The white contrast highlights the lush red color, while the tanginess of the cream cheese plays off the buttermilk so well. Red velvet cake is also usually paired with white cream-cheese frosting. The buttermilk and vinegar give the cake that tender, light, and fluffy texture. However, don't skimp on those strange additions. not processed in the same way as they were in the early 20th century, so it's best to just opt for the artificial stuff if you want that expected vibrant color.

Some cocoa powders today are alkalized, a.k.a. However, if you try this today sans red food coloring, it might not turn out to be that red. When combined, these ingredients create the color as the cocoa powder reacts to the acids. On top of having all the typical cake ingredients (flour, sugar, butter, and eggs), red velvet cake is also comprised of cocoa powder, buttermilk, and vinegar. In the 1920s, food coloring company Adams Extract of course wanted to sell more food dye, and released a recipe made with red food coloring that really amped the color up to what we usually see today. A chemical reaction among a few key ingredients occurred (more on that in a second) to create that deeper reddish tone naturally. The list of those ingredients might surprise you! Where does red velvet cake come from?īefore the 1920s, red velvet cake was more of a rust color than the brighter scarlet you usually see now. Although a traditional red velvet cake has elements of a chocolate cake, there are a few key ingredients that make it so distinctly different from other cakes. Despite red velvet cake's popularity in recent years, most people have no idea what the dessert really is, assuming it's chocolate cake with lots of red food coloring added. Red velvet cake sounds so luxurious-like a soft, creamy, and expensive version of a regular cake, but so much better.
