s/o - What is the deal with red velvet cake?

[SproutMamaK]

I've had red velvet cake/cupcakes before and I don't get it. What is so awesome about it? Maybe I've just had cheap versions of it but really... isn't it just regular cake with obscene amounts of food colouring? What am I missing here?

[unsinkable]

I was just talking to a grocery checkout boy about this!

 

I agree...I don't see the appeal. And neither does the grocery boy.

[Guest inoubliable]

I've had red velvet from a supermarket and it was puke in a paper liner. I've had a red velvet cupcake from a fancy gourmet place in Alexandria, VA. It was amazing.

 

I think it depends on where you get it.

[Chris in VA]

Doesn't it taste like chocolate, but it's red?

 

Fav scene from a movie re Red Velvet Cake--the one from Steel Magnolias, where the groom's cake is red velvet--shaped as an armadillo!

[Renthead Mommy]

It's a dark cocoa cake and what makes it red is SUPPOSED to be beet juice. But no one seems to do that anymore. Most likely what you are having is a regular chocolate cake with the food coloring. It also supposed to be made with baking soda and vinegar. Even if you just do that part, it taste differnt. I've only had it with the beet juice once and it was wonderful. I've got a great, great grandma recipe using the beets that I still need to try.

[Aurelia]

Real red velvet cake, made with beet juice instead of red food coloring is pretty good. It's a lot like regular cake to me, though. I can't stand the commercial version. The food coloring leaves a nasty aftertaste in my mouth. My godmother made a red velvet groom's cake in the shape of an armadillo for her youngest son's wedding. It looked like they were carving up the animal.

[Word Nerd]

I've had red velvet from a supermarket and it was puke in a paper liner. I've had a red velvet cupcake from a fancy gourmet place in Alexandria, VA. It was amazing.

 

I think it depends on where you get it.

 

 

Definitely. The last red velvet cupcake I had was a sample from a local bakery, and it was really dry and not that tasty. But I've had yummy red velvet cake before too.

[GSOchristie]

I personally don't like red velvet cake, and my grandma makes it from scratch. Everyone else in my family loves it, but I think if you're going to have chocolate cake, it's a waste to put like 1/4 cup of cocoa in it and call it a day. I also hate cream cheese frosting, so basically it's not my cup of tea.

[Dandelion]

I've had red velvet from a supermarket and it was puke in a paper liner. I've had a red velvet cupcake from a fancy gourmet place in Alexandria, VA. It was amazing.

 

I think it depends on where you get it.

 

 

I was talking to a friend about this a few weeks ago. I've never enjoyed red velvet cake so I don't get the appeal either, but she said she's had some that was fantastic (and it wasn't the supermarket kind). So I guess it does really depend on where you get it.

[Jeannie in NJ]

red velvet cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory is so good. So is the red velvet cupcake at Starring Rolls in Hollywood Studios at Disney World. Actually except for the mini cakes that I just posted about that my ds's friend's mom made for us today, those 2 places are the only other times I have had red velvet, so maybe it is lousy except for Cheesecake Factory, Starring Rolls and other mom's.

[GSOchristie]

http://www.sophistimom.com/red-velvet-cake-all-natural-no-red-dye/

 

I did see this the other day when I was looking for dye-less Valentine treats because my son has a red dye allergy.

[SproutMamaK]

Oh dear. Now y'all are breaking out pictures of cake. This can't end well (for my waistline).

[Guest inoubliable]

Oh dear. Now y'all are breaking out pictures of cake. This can't end well (for my waistline).

 

 

Muwahahahahaha! It's V-Day! Get yourself some red velvet cupcakes!

[tearose]

I always thought red velvet cake was pretty regrettable (my way of describing food that you realize isn't worth the calories after you've finished eating it) ... until I had it at a pretty high-end restaurant in the south. They were celebrating being open however many years, and they were giving them out for free. I never would have ordered it given my past experiences, but oh my, it was divine

[Ellie]

Real red velvet cake, made with beet juice instead of red food coloring is pretty good. It's a lot like regular cake to me, though. I can't stand the commercial version. The food coloring leaves a nasty aftertaste in my mouth. My godmother made a red velvet groom's cake in the shape of an armadillo for her youngest son's wedding. It looked like they were carving up the animal.

 

Wasn't there an armadillo red velvet cake in Steel Magnolias??

[PachiSusan]

I don't know. I don't really like it either. It's too rich. I'm a plain kinda gal - give me milk chocolate or caramel and I'm happy! LOL

[kewb]

I have never had the real thing made with beets and the red velvet cake I have had is nothing special. Plus, I detest cream cheese frosting. So I don't get the appeal at all.

[Orthodox6]

Yes. Beets. (real beets, I mean) There are recipes which do not use the cream cheese icing. (I don't care for it, either.)

 

For a no-icing version, a red velvet cake is a good cake type upon which to place one of those paper doilies, then shake powdered sugar over it to create a lacy design that looks nifty on the otherwise bare cake.

[Guest]

I'm not a fan, but I'm also not a fan of chocolate cake. DS requested one for his birthday last year, and after I saw how much red food coloring goes into it, I really don't like them now. Goodness.

[Cosmos]

We went on a vacation last summer and stayed in a rented cottage. The owners had left a recipe for red velvet cake stuck to the fridge. I looked at it one day and saw it called for ONE BOTTLE of red food coloring. Heavens to Betsy! We avoid red dye 40, so red velvet has never been something we would make or order. But now I definitely will be avoiding it, unless I know for sure it's the kind made with beets.

[Arcadia]

The quality of the red velvet cake really depends on the bakery. We like the beet kind. It is younger boy's favorite cake as it is red, his favorite color. He brought it to school as his birthday cake and kids ate the cake up :)

[GSOchristie]

Okay, so I read the recipe I posted and immediately thought, great for no dye, but does it taste like beets? I do not like beets by any stretch of the imagination, and I can't imagine their repugnant flavor being masked in a cake. I might have to try the recipe to see for myself.

[catz]

Okay, so I read the recipe I posted and immediately thought, great for no dye, but does it taste like beets? I do not like beets by any stretch of the imagination, and I can't imagine their repugnant flavor being masked in a cake. I might have to try the recipe to see for myself.

 

 

Well we pretty regularly make chocolate beet cake when beets are coming every week in our CSA boxes and its some of the best chocolate cake ever. You cannot taste the beets at all. Our version doesn't turn out very red. It's good with cream cheese frosting, buttercream, or plain.

 

http://food52.com/blog/4574-nigel-slater-s-extremely-moist-chocolate-beet-cake

[Joker]

Well we pretty regularly make chocolate beet cake when beets are coming every week in ou CSA boxes and its some of the best chocolate cake ever. You cannot tast the beets at all. Our version doesn't turn out very red. It's good with cream cheese frosting, buttercream, or plain.

 

http://food52.com/bl...olate-beet-cake

 

 

We've done this so many times as well because of our CSA boxes. :D I'm not a fan of beets and neither is my youngest, but we all eat it up. I've actually never tried frosting it either since it's so good plain.

[GSOchristie]

So I'm going to try it, we are going on vacation with my family tomorrow for a week, I'm going to spring the red velvet beet cake on them :).

[Miss Cornelia Snook]

I've only ever made gluten free red velvet cake, and it's very rich and just...divine. My recipe calls for red food coloring, but I never put it in. No need!

[Parrothead]

I find RVC to be horrible. I'll take any German chocolate anyone might be willing to spare.

[SunnyDays]

I've never liked Red Velvet Cake. It's often brought to my husband's family gatherings, and everyone just thinks it's amazing, but I don't get the appeal either. I've always thought it tasted funny, and now I'm realizing it's probably the food coloring.

 

Chocolate cake with buttercream frosting, man.... that's the ticket!! ;)

[Mom in High Heels]

I love real RVC made with beets. It's what I made for Han Solo's first birthday and everyone loved it. I only like cream cheese frosting on RVC. Store bought RVC is just gross.

[Onceuponatime]

Why I hate red velvet cake: (You may not want to read)

 

Take one 8yo little girl. Fill her with red foods at a Valentine party: apples, hot dogs, koolaid, and red velvet cake. Drive her home, an hour and 1/2. See her erupt red all over her baby brother and the interior of the car, half way home. In 10 degree weather. With the heat on to keep from freezing. Stop in the worst part of town, in the dark, in a school parking lot. Clean up as best you can with baby wipes. Upon arrival at home, dunk both children in the tub and put them to bed. Go back out in 10 degrees and scour the interior of your car. Take a shower, make a cup of tea, turn on an old movie, have a meltdown.

 

I won't touch the stuff.

[Donna]

I have been making a red velvet cake for my husband's birthday since we were dating (about 25 years now) because he had it every year when he was young and loved it. To me it tastes a lot like the obscene amounts of food coloring I put in it. He and the kids eat it...me, not so much.

 

I have been laughing now seeing everything coming up red velvet cake.

 

It may be the first trend I was ahead of. :glare:

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

Red velvet cake made correctly is good and worth eating, but to me the frosting is what makes it go from mmm to MMMMM! The frosting on my recipe is different from any other frosting I have made.