Red Velvet Buttermilk Cake

 

A must for the holiday season-Buttermilk Red Velvet Cake

A Red Velvet Cake has a dark red or red-brown color. It's traditionally prepared as a layer cake with cream cheese frosting. The reddish color is from the red food coloring added to the batter. When researching recipes I found varying degrees of how much cocoa is used and the amount of red food coloring. One recipe even had a whole bottle of red added to the batter. I passed on that recipe.

The cake and its original recipe originated from the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. However, it is widely considered a southern recipe. A resurgence of this cake's popularity is partly attributed to the film Steel Magnolias (1989) in which the groom's cake was a Red Velvet Cake in the shape of an armadillo.
Urban legend has it that a story with a recipe in the 1920's began circulating. The cake had been served at the New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Here is one account that came from the book "The Vanishing Hitchhiker" by Jan Brunvand.

Our friend, Dean Blair, got on a bus in San Jose one morning and shortly after, a lady got on the bus and started passing out these 3 x 5 cards with the recipe for “Red Velvet Cake.” She said she had recently been in New York and had dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria and had this cake. After she returned to San Jose, she wrote to the hotel asking for the name of the chef who had originated the cake, and if she could have the recipe.
Subsequently, she received the recipe in the mail along with a bill for something like $350 from the chef. She took the matter to her attorney, and he advised her that she would have to pay it because she had not inquired beforehand if there would be a charge for the service, and if so, how much it would be. Consequently, she apparently thought this would be a good way to get even with the chef by passing out the recipe. 

Because of this popular story and similar variations, Red Velvet Cake is also known as Waldorf-Astoria Cake, $100 Cake, $200 Cake, etc. I guess you will have to decide for yourself how much of this story you want to believe.

Red Velvet Cake 

Cook's Notes: Basically a Red Velvet Cake is a red devil's food cake in disguise with yummy cream cheese frosting. It's a showy piece for holiday entertaining and very moist.
A 13 x 9 pan can also be used. I sprinkled crushed pecans over the cream cheese frosting. I must say this was one of the best Red Velvet Cakes I have ever tasted. It was so moist and fluffy. Using 2 tablespoons red food coloring does give it a rich red color. No need to use a whole bottle of red which some recipes suggest. Store cake in refrigerator.

Ingredients:

• 2 -1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1- 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 heaping teaspoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 1-1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk (fluid) at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cream Cheese Frosting-recipe below
• Crushed pecans or walnuts for garnish 

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil and flour 2 round cake pans or a 13 x 9 pan.
• 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 mixer blend the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.
• If using cake pans: Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake until the cake pulls away from the side and the center of the cakes comes out clean using a toothpick for about 16-18 minutes. If using a 13 x 9 pan bake 22 minutes.
• Cool cake in pans for 6 minutes and then invert each one onto a plate lined with wax paper and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded sides up. Let cool completely before frosting.
• For a 13 x 9 pan leave cake in pan.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1-3 oz. package softened cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup milk 

Directions:

• Beat all ingredients until smooth -add in more milk if needed for correct consistency.