Dear Cupcakery Owners,
Red velvet seems to be a huge craze and everyone is selling it, but I can’t figure out why when it seems no one is bothering to make real red velvet cake.
Am I the only one that can taste red food coloring and thinks almost every ‘red velvet’ cake I’ve tried recently is just gross? I really love red velvet, it’s one of my favorites … but who decided red velvet was flavorless cake with a ridiculous amount of red food coloring and overly sweet cream cheese gunk? Every time I see the obscenely red, red color at a bakery I steer clear of their cake.
Red velvet is a chocolate cake. The chemical reaction between the buttermilk and natural cocoa powder creates a natural, deep red color. Really, try it. A cup of buttermilk, 3-4tbs of natural cocoa powder and a teaspoon of white vinegar will change red - it’s like chem class but with tastier results. Natural cocoa powder has a very reddish tint to begin with and much lighter in color, it is different than dutch processed cocoa powder - if it is dutch processed it has been treated to cut the acidity, this will not work to make a natural red velvet cake. The acid content that creates the pretty color(and unique flavor) is also why a real red velvet cake should be leavened with beaten egg whites and baking soda, baking powder will not work properly.
Sure, your cake wont be crazy blood red. It will have a great, deep, earthy red color. Which I think is a lot more appealing anyway. And it definitely won’t taste like bitter, chemical-y sludge either!
Oh yeah, simple white buttercream people! Stop with the cream cheese already.
Man, now I want cake.
