Combine gorgeous Valentine's Day red with a delicious cake and you have Red Velvet Cake! Here you will find everything you need to make one for yourself.
Are you going to give homemade gifts this Valentine’s Day? If so, you might want to consider a baked homemade gift, especially for those people you happen to know that have a sweet tooth to satisfy! On the other hand, if you had been considering giving homemade gifts for Valentine’s Day, but were unsure of what exactly to make, this recipe will be a great help!
Have you ever made red velvet cake? If not, then this is the perfect baking theme for your homemade Valentine’s Day gifts!
Why not make some red velvet cupcakes this year? It’s the holiday of red, pink and hearts, after all! Therefore, it seems there is no better cake for Valentine’s Day than red velvet!
Try this red velvet recipe, let me know what you think and have a Happy Valentine’s Day!
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Recipe
How to Make Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 c. buttermilk
- 3 tbsp. cocoa
- 2 oz. red food coloring
- 3 tbsp. warm water
- 2 ½ c. cake flour
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- 2 c. sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¾ c. butter softened
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tbsp. white vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Start by lightly whisking together the eggs, vanilla, and ¼ of the buttermilk in a medium bowl.
- In a small bowl stir cocoa powder, warm water, and food coloring into a smooth paste (until there are no lumps of cocoa left).
- In your large mixing bowl sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the sugar. On the low setting of your mixer mix these dry ingredients for 30 seconds to combine.
- Add in the remaining buttermilk and butter and mix first on low, then on high speed. Stop in between to scrape down sides of the bowl. Now, add in the cocoa paste and continue mixing until fully combined.
- It's time to add the egg mixture. At this point it is important not to over-mix the batter. Pour ⅓ of the eggy fluid into the mixing bowl and beat for only 20 seconds on medium speed. Repeat in the same manner for the next two additions.
- I find the last part most exciting. No other cake has such an element of suspense at the end. Almost makes you feel like you are back in high-school chem lab. You have to wait with this step right until you are ready to put your cake(s) into the oven. Since everything has to go quickly I have no pictures, but I know you will do just fine. Pour the vinegar into a small bowl. Add the baking soda and give it a quick stir. Be amazed by the bubbling and fizzing. (If that is not happening something is wrong. Your baking soda may be too old, or the liquid wasn't actually vinegar. Sounds silly, but I had that actually happen to me once.) Your amazement can't last too long, as you have to proceed quickly to fold the fizzing baking soda mix into the batter. I love the look of this deep red battery goodness.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes (15-20 for cupcakes). Cool cake layers in pans for 10 minutes then invert on wire rack to cool fully. Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5 min. then transfer to wire rack.
Although, this might be a more involved cake, your efforts will be rewarded with a beautiful, delicious and moist cake.
Or cupcakes. Enjoy!
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Common Questions
Homemade red velvet cake can last for about 3-4 days when stored properly in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Red velvet cake has a chocolate flavor, but it is not simply a chocolate cake. The addition of buttermilk, vinegar, and a small amount of cocoa powder gives red velvet cake its unique flavor and texture, setting it apart from a traditional chocolate cake.
Red velvet cake batter typically includes ingredients such as flour, cocoa powder, buttermilk, eggs, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, red food coloring, and a small amount of vinegar to help enhance the color and flavor.
Red velvet cake is commonly frosted with a cream cheese frosting. This frosting is typically made from cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract, creating a tangy and sweet complement to the cake.
For red velvet cake, it's best to use natural, non-alkalized cocoa powder. This type of cocoa powder contributes to the cake's distinctive flavor and helps maintain the desired red color.
Red velvet cake's unique and appealing taste comes from the combination of buttermilk, cocoa, and a small amount of vinegar. These ingredients work together to create a subtle tanginess and a moist, tender crumb that sets it apart from other cakes.
The main difference between red velvet cake and blue velvet cake lies in the food coloring used. While red velvet cake features red food coloring, blue velvet cake uses blue food coloring. The rest of the ingredients and preparation are generally similar, resulting in cakes with different hues but similar flavors and textures.
Camille
Hi! Just stumbled on your website somehow! Your recipe page is great. I wanted to add my 2 cents for this post.
I made all-natural red velvet cupcakes using this recipe from Sophistimom and it came out amazing, vibrant, and delicious (no strong beet flavor). If you or any readers try it, I highly suggest the beets be FINELY pureed. I don't have a food processor so I had to use a strainer and spoon! Don't use canned beets because it has lost much of it's great red color. Hard work, but great results and healthy too. 🙂
Regina
Hey Camille,
only saw you comment now, but thank you for sharing your experiences and the link 🙂
siti aishah
Hi regina,
Thank you for your reply. I really appreciate it. Hope I can start baking soon.
Have a nice day. 🙂
siti aishah
hi regina,
I would like to say ty for the recipe. It look like simple. But I dont know yet when i will bake it. I just like to surf and check for beautiful cakes including yours.
May I know is there any natural ingredients that we can use to substitute the red coloring. So, basically, RV is just a chocolate cake but with red effect.
hheheh 🙂 just curious
Regina
Hi Siti.Thank you for your comment.
In my opinion Red Velvet Cake is rather a colored buttermilk cake, as the smooth, velvety moist taste and texture are more defining than the cocoa. Red velvet cake really does not taste much like chocolate cake. The cocoa is more of a carrier for the red color.
I get your hesitation with the red food coloring. As I understand the original Southern Red Velvet Cake was made with beet juice. Together with the cocoa and baking soda, a chemical reaction colors the batter red. I am no chemist but this is my understanding from what I have read.
I have not personally tried using beets for red velvet cake, as often the results I see online are rather faint and rather unappetizing.
However, the best results I have seen used beet puree (rather than juice) and lemon juice for brightness.
It is a lot more involved than using food coloring but if you are serious about Red Velvet Cake with beets you could have a look here http://bakecakery.com/2011/03/16/red-velvet-cake-with-beets/
Hope this can be helpful.