Red Velvet Cake

AniV said:
I'm glad that you're going to try it! I recommend you make a trial batch before you make the final cake for the party/event.
Be warned, though - the ingredients list can get quite pricey. You use a full bottle of red food colouring for just 1 batch as per the recipe I posted (though you are likely to find many variations online). Also buttermilk gets pricey.

The recipe I posted above only makes one batch of cupcakes, size-wise, so you may have to make 2 or 3 batches to get a decent sized multi-layered cake. Depends on how many people you're baking for.
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Thanks for your posts! Worth a try in my view but because i am a traditionalist (spelling?) I hoped you can explain more on the beetroot method.
 
Polly101 said:
its the buttermilk that changes the texture and increases the moisture I think -where is D.J when we need him huh....
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The buttermilk increases the acidity which is what makes chocolate turn a slightly reddish colour. Red Velvet these days is made with red food colouring because it is very difficult to get a hold of acidic chocolate powder. IIRC dutch cocoa has a higher acidity content and is more reddish in colour but you need the pure stuff which is incredibly difficult to get hold of and is expensive.

Red Velvet is actually Devil Cake - nothing all that special but the cream cheese icing is delicious...

EDIT: I'm talking kark. Dutch processed cocoa has a higher alkaline pH, not lower and acidic. You need non-Dutch processed cocoa...
 
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AniV said:
No, it is NOT! That is what we bakers term "bad velvet cake"!

Red Velvet - the ORIGINAL - was coloured with Beetroot and cocoa.
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No, devil's food cake was made with beets. Red velvet was made with acidic cocoa power. Slight difference but food historians still argue about it today.

My apologies about the previous post. Dutch processed cocoa is in fact an alkaline base, not an acidic base. You need non-Dutch processed cocoa which is the expensive aspect. It is the anthocyanin in cocoa that reacts with the acidity to turn it red when cooked...:o
 
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AniV said:
It makes myself and my baker friends SO UPSET when people take a regular cake (even worse, vanilla sponge) and add red food colouring and then call it red velvet <whatever>. Proper red velvet is extremely moist and soft and this is mostly because of the buttermilk and the vinegar/bicarb combo instead of regular baking powder. You can taste the difference.
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The vinegar/bicarb is to change the pH. Vinegar will preserve the cake for longer, so it will be moister for longer, but it won't inhibit gluten formation, which is what dries cakes up. Nothing about vinegar prevents gluten formation in the batter stages (in fact it will promote gluten formation). Oil and fats will help here, but not vinegar. The only thing that vinegar might do is help the proteins in the flour to set up quicker when cooked, which can prevent moisture loss through excessive baking, but I really don't believe that enough acidity is added to batters to make that much of a difference in the initial cook. It will be enough for later down the line as a preservative to prevent drying out as it doesn't inhibit the hygroscopic nature of sugar pulling in moisture from the air. It's such a fine balancing act.

Respect to professional bakers - it's an absolute science...

EDIT: in fact come to think about it, vinegar will increase gluten formation in the batter, which is why it is added to many breads. Gluten formation is a critical aspect when it comes to cake moistness. The more gluten, the dryer the end result, which is why cakes should only be mixed very briefly until just mixed together...
 
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Red velvet cake has lost its status as much sought after since even Pick n Pay sells it now. Face it people, it's gone mainstream.
 
blunomore said:
Red velvet cake has lost its status as much sought after since even Pick n Pay sells it now. Face it people, it's gone mainstream.
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Not sure about you blu but what i make does not depend on it's status or lack thereof.
 
Seriously said:
Have not tried it but you tempted me! The raving is about the "moisture content" and "melting in the mouth" texture, so following the steps closely is the trick, Do not over-bake it.

[video=youtube;gA9ZjcueUZs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA9ZjcueUZs&feature=player_embedded[/video]
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Oh god that voice/accent.

I couldn't even make it to 30 seconds.

It's almost like that freakshow in Borderlands 2.
 
blunomore said:
Red velvet cake has lost its status as much sought after since even Pick n Pay sells it now. Face it people, it's gone mainstream.
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ShaunSA said:
Not sure about you blu but what i make does not depend on it's status or lack thereof.
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this ...doesnt depend what others do

if you like it make it and enjoy it

dont starve yourself cause others are enjoying it
 
abzo said:
Hipster Blu :D

So you wouldn't eat something if it becomes popular?
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No man, that is not what I am saying! I am trying to show how red velvet cake has gone from 'exclusive' to commonplace. If PnP stocks it, it is there for everyone to enjoy :)
 
blunomore said:
No man, that is not what I am saying! I am trying to show how red velvet cake has gone from 'exclusive' to commonplace. If PnP stocks it, it is there for everyone to enjoy :)
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hmmm so you say if something is kept at pick n pay its for the masses

time to stop shopping there
 
blunomore said:
No man, that is not what I am saying! I am trying to show how red velvet cake has gone from 'exclusive' to commonplace. If PnP stocks it, it is there for everyone to enjoy :)
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But that's not real red velvet cake. That's just red food-colouring cake.
 
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