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Yes, you are treated to 2 Red Velvet Cakes this month…keep reading I tell you why I ended up baking 2 as part of the Daring Bakers’ monthly cross baking post.
The original Daring Bakers tandem moved to 5, 7 then 10…and now 16. To read everybody's entries, just click on the list under the awesome banner designed for us by Ximena of Lobstersquad.
For such a large group of women we have been pretty good at chosing a name, a theme, an image, but this month we could not decide on a single recipe to illustrate our “Red Velvet Cake”, so we agreed to use the one each liked best.
Some may not find it challenging, and having made many of them at the restaurant I thought along those lines until the time to focus on the recipe drew near. For me the challenge was not in the actual making and baking of the cake but in everything that goes around.
My first challenge arose when researching a recipe: I found some using butter, some shortening and others oil. Here, in the deep South, I was sure than beside me (butter all the way), other bakers and chefs would favor an oil based recipe. What to do? I decided to go around and take a poll. I asked fellow pastry chefs, family members, friends, old southern cooks and I ended up with a 50/50 in favor of oil and butter….Not going to help my (in)decision process…Maybe I could make 2 and have a taste test among friends one afternoon.
My second challenge occurred when somebody dear was diagnosed with food dye allergies. Hives, migraines, ulcers,….and guess what gives a Red Velvet Cake its name…red food coloring…Oh man, give me a break…what to do now…? Make 2 cakes…one with red food dye and one with a red juice reduction of some sort. I first thought about beets, but remembered I had some deep red strawberry juice/syrup left over from making preserves, in the freezer that I was reserving to make jelly. I could use that while adjusting the liquid and sugar content. You could also reduce pomegranate juice to obtain the same effect.
So, if you have been following my dilemma I have to make more than one cake, but if I want to have a fair taste test I would have to make the butter cake twice and the oil cake twice…meaning 4….uhhhh I love my friends and my neighbors but I have no time to make 4 Red Velvet Cakes for the purpose of being 100% fair….so to be realistic I picked up 2 recipes, used food dye in one and strawberry juice in the other…I love baking but it is 85 degrees outside and everybody is at the beach waiting on me…!
I ended up making each recipe gave me a 6 inch cake and 8 cupcakes, perfect format to take along to the family beach house.
Now, on to the recipes…
Red Velvet Cake I (butter and strawberry juice), adapted from Mary Beth’s Sampler- A Georgia Cookbook.
1 stick butter
1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 C. buttermilk
¼ cup strawberry juice
2 T. cocoa
1 t. vanilla
1 T. vinegar
1 t. soda (sifted)
2 1/2 C. cake flour
1 t. salt
Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add strawberry juice and cocoa. Add salt to flour and sift. Add flour and buttermilk alternately, mix well. Add vanilla, mix well. Add soda and vinegar and don't beat, just blend. Bake in three 9" pans about 30 minutes at 350. Or use one 6 inch and 8 cupcake tins.
For the strawberry juice: cook a pint of strawberries with ½ cup sugar and juice of ½ a lemon. Let cool. Strain. If the juice is very liquidy, reduce over medium heat to obtain a syrup consistency.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 stick (115 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups (230 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
In bowl of electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter, on low speed, until very smooth with no lumps. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth.
Red Velvet II (oil, red food coloring), adapted from "A Taste Of South Side", South Side Elementary School, LaGrange, Georgia.
2 1/2 c. sifted flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. soda
1 1/2 c. canola oil
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cocoa
1 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 Tb red food coloring
Sift flour, salt, sugar, cocoa and soda. Add buttermilk, canola oil, vinegar, vanilla extract, eggs and food coloring in order; mix thoroughly. Bake in 3 layer pans (greased and floured) at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes. Or use one 6 inch and 8 cupcake tins.
Frosting: see cake #1
Verdict: they were both fluffy, but there is nothing that makes this cake special other than a thick coat of cream cheese frosting. The popularity of the cake resided in its deep rich color more than its taste. The use of the fruit syrup did not change the consistency nor the color but gave it a subtle flavor. Interesting enough to make people wonder what I had done differently. What I like is that it was all natural (call me a snob) My testers were a very mixed group of foodies and not, adults and children and they liked the butter based Red Velvet Cake, saying that the oil base one left a coating on their palate.
Me? You know me…if it’s cake…I liked both…a lot..Now, how am I going to explain to B. that there is so little cake left?!!
This also a perfect day to be posting on my 200th post....life flies by when you eat cake!
47 comments:
You had it easy...you frosted without any nuts in the frosting. Yours look beautiful.
Yes, you're right...one of the adults has nuts allergies so I had to be cautious this time around, gives me the incentive to try it again. A lot of the recipes do not contain nuts in the frosting though.
That's so beautiful, i love your cook it'so sweet
candy
The cake looks incredible. I just do not have the courage to make such extravagant cakes. I really have to kick my backside to try!
Two cakes! You've really outdone yourself. And of course they are both gorgeous. BTW, I like the rotating slidshow.
Pom d'api: mon magazine prefere. Mercie de ta visite!
Meeta: these are small, easier to handle. You ould do an awsome job, try them!
Mary: thank you...I was trying to please everybody..hard to do!
Beautifully decorated! It looks great!!
strawberry! and it turned out the right color and everything! i can't wait to try this out. did it taste about the same?
by the way - i've never seen a red velvet cake with pecans on it and i live in texas.
Helen, love that slideshow you have going on there. Beautifully decorated. I feel embarassed now since I just slapped on my frosting (doing the walk of shame)
Those are the most beautiful red velvet cake photos I have ever seen. You are such a professional! Gorgeous!
Those look wonderful! I'm glad you were able to figure out a solution for the no food coloring, and such a tasty solution too!
Those are gorgeous cakes! I love the idea of making a red velvet cake without food coloring. I have some strawberry juice in the freezer, so I'll have to try this one. Wonderful pictures, too.
Ahhhh so beautiful and very elegant!! =) I love how you made stripes with the crumbs.. leave it to my favorite french pastry chef to make not only 1 but 2 awesome cakes :D
So.. the strawberry one, could you taste the strawberry?
Beautiful job as always, sweetie =)
xoxo
Wow, Tartelette you are so well named. I know I should have tried the pastry bag thing - it just seems so beyond me when I'm presented with the actual option.
Such beautiful cakes!! and the slide show is so cool!!
Great work Helene - I've never had red velvet cake before as it's not a known cake here in Australia (in fact, I never knew it existed till I started food blogging) but yours do look impressive :D
Beautiful cakes! Love the striping on the side as well. I also am very curious about the strawberry syrup being used, I kind of like that idea very much and wonder about the taste as well.
You're amazing! One cake was more than enough for me to make.
McHeleney,
I could sit and stare at those swirly red velvet cakes all day!
ALL DAY!!!
They're beautiful and I especially love the way you decorated them. I admire your dedication to tracking down recipes. I would have happily been a cake tester.
I bet Mr. Tartelette got to taste some ... boooooooo!
ARE YOU???? I don't have your e-mail here at work, so I can't send you my spastic freaking out cuz I'm so excited for you e-mail!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
YAY!!! HOORAH!!!! AM JUMPIN UP AND DOWN OVER HERE!!! hehhee
LOTS OF HUGGGSSSSS!!!!!
XOXOXOXOXOX
Strawberry juice! What a great idea. Was the coloring the same as with the food coloring? I think I agree with you, though I think it's fun to make there is not much special taste-wise about the cake except for the frosting.
Now that is the coolest slideshow I have ever seen. I was entranced.
They both look ridiculously good.
Wow - I'm blown away by your creative frosting. I love your idea of using strawberry juice and it's good to know it was a success.
I love your cake Helene and your slideshow! The icing looks really light and fluffy. :)
Helene, You have made what I wanted to do - well, im my mind I conquered Everest. What a great idea to do the compare. Thank you for being so detailed in reporting the result. I did make mine with oil. I had made it once with butter but don't have much recollection of it.Shame!! As this is not the type of cake that I bake on a Sunday afternoon I am not too sure when i might have the opportunity to bake another one.
How do you manage such wonderful icing?
Great slideshow, photos, and both cakes look wonderful. I love the curving striped on the sides. The strawberry idea is interesting, but didn't it overpower the cocoa a little?
The frosting looks amazing, too.
C'est superbe Hélène, comme d'hab et en plus très pro ! J'adore aussi les photos présentées comme ça !
ohhhoh helene lovely cakes! how was the red velvet cake with the strawberries? very creative
Moi, il faudrait que je goûte pour savoir lequel je préfère ;o) !
ils sont tous les deux bien tentants !...
Grosses bises et bonne semaine
Hélène
Helene, your cake is so lovely and simple looking. I love the slide show of your cake too! Everyone's photos were amazing. And two cakes to boot! Can't wait to see what we bake next month.
Brillant brillant!!! From thinking of alternatives to deco!!! You're the most darling and dearest snob :) :)
Wow, wow, wow... I'm speechless, Helene!
What about the "special effects" with the photos?? Gorgeous!!
Hi Helen! Wow 2 cakes for our enjoyment! I love that you were able to make an all natural one - I'm quite sensitive to chemicals as well, so it's neat that there is an alternative for us!
Outstanding!
Beautiful! I love how you decorated it :)
Must stop dragging my feet about making a layer cake...
Great post!! The drama of the dueling cakes. The envy of the reader that people got to eat both of them. I admit the "natural" cake grabs me. I like the idea of the strawberry juice---and butter and I have had an intense relationship for years.
Ooo, can I join the club too? Cause I just made red velvet cake too. Actually, I'd really like to bake with you all, all your cakes look great!
Spectacular! I love the idea of the strawberry b/c I've always thought RVC was too bland -- not enough chocolate! ;-) Can't wait to see what you ladies do next time!
Thanks everyone for all your comments. I wish I could have time to respond individually but this week has been very hectic.
I appreciate all your comments, they are always so touching and make this adventure worth while.
Thank you!
Helene, merci du commentaire charmant. My friend has her heart set on one of the red velvet cakes for her birthday!Her Birthday is April 14, I will have to post photos. Both of cakes look BEAUTIFUL, it will be hard to choose.
i heard about making red velvet cupcakes with an alternate to food coloring, so i was stoked to find this recipe. i made it exactly as you posted it, but mine never turned red. it stayed brown/light brown, no hint of red anywhere. guess i'll stick to red food coloring
What type of cocoa did you use? I love the idea of doing this cake without using a couple of bottles of food coloring.
Beautiful! I am entraced! I'm going to play around with my frosting and make it lovely...I always just glop the stuff on the cake! I just made a cake for my families to enjoy my first RVC endeavour.
But may I beg to differ--I truly think the mix of...is it chocolate or is it vanilla? and the slight tang of vinegar and the moist, rich quality of buttermilk make RVC more than ordinary (or maybe I'm just obsessed with the stuff).
Recently I learned that cream cheese frosting is actually not "the traditional" frosting...a buttercream roux is instead. I'll have to try that sometime, though those icings are a pain.
To the anonymous poster, I think she mentioned the strawberry didn't lend colour at all. Try beet juice; strain it from a 15 oz. can. I did that and got dark, vibrant, sultry red and not a hint of beets. loathe beets ;).
I find cheaper cocoas tend to lend a redder colour; the darker, richer cocoas are more of a brown-copper shade...
So...I know this post is over a year old, but I'm desperately searching for a way to make cake red--really red--without food coloring. I tried this recipe and it baked up a sort of light mahogany--not at all the bold crimson pictured. OK, it was not red in the slightest. I've gotten the same results with beet juice. Anyone know what I'm doing wrong? I reduced the strawberry juice to a nice thick, red syrup. I used Scharffen Berger cocoa powder (not dutch process). Did you, Tartelette, really get that red color without chemical help?
Jenyable: yes I did, I recall my syrup being bright red and the cocoa being a basic Nestle cocoa powder. I made it a second time a few months ago and the syrup was darker which made the cake a little more brownish. There are some natural food coloring available at health food stores now that are free of chemicals and extra stuff.
i tried your strawberry recipe, and just like a few others have posted, it did not come out red. it was an unappealing brown. i've since tried your recipe using raspberry juice and pomegranate juice in place; neither working. i haven't been able to find a single non food coloring success, except for yours. i'm sorry but i just don't believe your results.
Anonymous: sorry to hear things did not turn out good for you. My next recommendation would be to use beet juice and decrease the cocoa. You are free to believe what you will. Everything on this blog has been made, tried and eaten.
I prepared the second version of Red Velvet Cake, with oil and dye. It was magnificent! When you visit here! I love your blog! I am Brazilian and I live in Portugal, I'm using an online translator to read your recipes and write this comment. Congratulations on your work! A hug!
:o)
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