Red Velvet Wedding Cake: A Dream Come True?

Red velvet cake is a popular choice for weddings, with its rich, velvety texture and vibrant red colour. The cake is said to have originated during the Great Depression, when red food colouring became popular, and is a traditional groom's cake in the Southern United States.

The colour red is associated with love and passion, making it a fitting choice for weddings. The unique texture of the cake is soft and tender, and its flavour is a blend of cocoa, vanilla, and cream cheese frosting.

Red velvet cake is typically made with a small amount of cocoa powder, buttermilk, vinegar, and red food colouring as staple ingredients. The buttermilk and vinegar react with the cocoa powder to enhance the red colour.

Red velvet cake is a symbol of celebration and is often chosen for its stunning appearance and rich flavour. It is a perfect choice for couples who want a cake that not only tastes incredible but also looks breathtaking on their special day.

Red velvet cake ingredients

Red velvet cake is a combination of vanilla and chocolate cake with a tangy twist. The tangy flavour comes from the buttermilk and vinegar, which are common ingredients in a red velvet cake.

• Flour
• Sugar
• Butter
• Oil
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Cocoa powder
• Buttermilk
• Red food colouring
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Cream cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Milk
• Vinegar

Some recipes also include cinnamon, coffee, and cornstarch.

Red velvet cake recipe

Red velvet cake is a combination of vanilla and chocolate cake with a tangy twist. The tang comes from the buttermilk and vinegar, which are common ingredients in a red velvet cake. The cake is often paired with cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups (275 g) flour - regular all-purpose (or 293 g of cake flour)
• 3 tbsp (18 g) cornflour (also known as cornstarch)
• 3 tbsp (14 g) cocoa powder - unsweetened
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
• 6 tbsp (86 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
• 3/4 cup (141 g) unflavoured vegetable oil (canola oil works well)
• 1 3/4 cups (344 g) white granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs - room temperature
• 1 tbsp (12 g) vanilla essence/extract
• 1 1/2 tsp white vinegar
• 3 1/2 tbsp (38 g) red liquid food colouring (or gel food colouring diluted with water or milk)
• 3/4 cup (158 g) buttermilk - room temperature

Cream Cheese Buttercream:

1 batch of cream cheese buttercream frosting recipe

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 160 °C (320°F) with the fan on (or 175°C/350°F if your oven doesn't have a fan function) and grease and/or line two 8-inch cake tins.
• In a bowl, sift together your flour, cornflour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using a whisk or fork, mix until well combined. Set aside.
• In another bowl, add in your butter, vegetable oil and sugar. Using an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer are both fine), cream together for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy.
• Add in eggs one by one, mixing well in between each addition (about 10-15 seconds between eggs).
• Add in your vanilla, vinegar and red liquid food colour, and mix until well combined. Now set your mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
• Finish off by adding in half of your premixed dry ingredients to your wet mixture, and gently fold it in with a spatula until just combined. Then add in all of your buttermilk, and fold it in until just combined. Lastly, add in the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold it into the mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
• Distribute the batter evenly into the two 8-inch cake tins, and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be careful not to open the oven door too early, as this can cause the cake layers to sink. Also, avoid overbaking the cake layers, as they will dry out.
• Once baked, allow them to cool in the cake tins for about 15-20 minutes, and then turn them out onto a wire rack to completely cool before frosting with cream cheese buttercream frosting.

• Usually, I would trim (or torte) the tops of my cake layers with a serrated knife to make them flat, but these red velvet layers bake up really nice and flat, so no trimming is required.
• I then added a generous amount of frosting to my first cake layer and smoothed it out with an offset spatula.
• I placed the next cake layer on top and added some frosting to my top cake layer, spreading it out with my offset spatula.
• I then used the excess frosting on the sides to cover the entire cake. I only did a thin layer of frosting and didn’t worry about a crumb coat because I was piping rosettes all around the cake. If you also want to pipe rosettes, then you will need to make 1.5x the amount of cream cheese frosting.
• I then used a 1M piping tip to pipe rosettes all around the cake.
• Once your cake is decorated, pop it into the fridge to allow everything to firm up. This will make it easier to cut. We don't want cold cake, though, so bring it out of the fridge about an hour or so before it's going to be cut. If it's still cold when you cut through it, then let it come to room temperature before eating.
• Yes, you can use gel food colouring in replacement of liquid colouring, however, you will need to dilute the gel colour with just under 3 1/2 tablespoons of water or milk to make up for the liquid lost when using gel colours.

Additional ingredients and substitutions:

• A buttermilk substitute will work fine for this recipe.
• If you're doing a lot of additional piping, make 1.5x the amount of cream cheese frosting to ensure you have enough. Otherwise, 1 batch will be enough.
• If you cut into the cake and it's cold, just let it come to room temperature for about half an hour before eating.
• If using a stand mixer, then use the paddle attachment for the initial mixing, but continue to do the last step by hand as stated in the recipe.
• In this recipe, I use an oven with the fan function turned on. The fan-forced function cooks cakes/cupcakes faster, so if your oven doesn't have a fan option, then you will need to increase the baking temperature to 175°C (347°F) so that the cake/cupcake bakes at the same rate as mine.

Red velvet cake history

Red velvet cake is a red-coloured chocolate layer cake with cream cheese or ermine icing. The origin of the cake is unknown, but it is popular in the Southern United States and has been served as a dessert at New York City's Waldorf-Astoria hotel since the 1920s. The cake is said to have originated during the Great Depression with the popularisation of red food colouring. However, recipes for "velvet cakes" date back to the 1800s, when cocoa was used as an ingredient in luxury cakes, giving them a reddish hue.

The first recipes for chocolate cakes also appeared in the late 1800s, and some included buttermilk or another acidic ingredient, which, when combined with raw cocoa powder, turned the batter and resulting cake a naturally occurring burgundy colour. Cakes from this type of recipe include red devil cake, mahogany cake, and oxblood cake. According to Stella Parks, the concept of a velvet cocoa powder cake originated in the early 20th century when the recipes for mahogany cake and devil's food cake were merged.

During World War I and the Great Depression, recipes were developed using vegetables, fruits and their juices to partially replace the moisture from dairy and eggs. Cakes made with beets were red, and chocolate cakes made with beets were burgundy. When artificial food colourings were developed in the 1930s, manufacturers marketed them by creating recipes that called for the use of these colourings. One such recipe was created by the Adams Extract Company after the owners ate the cake at the Waldorf-Astoria. Their recipe was based on mahogany cake and called for red food colouring and ermine icing.

Red velvet cake appearance

Red velvet cake is a popular dessert in the Southern United States, often chosen for weddings due to its striking appearance and rich flavour. The colour red represents love and passion, making it an apt choice for weddings. The iconic red hue not only catches the eye but also indicates the moistness of the cake. The texture is soft and tender, making every bite a delight.

The cake is a blend of cocoa, vanilla, and cream cheese frosting, creating a flavour experience that is both rich and refreshing. The addition of buttermilk, vinegar, and red food colouring gives it a unique taste and appearance.

The red velvet cake is typically made with a small amount of cocoa powder, buttermilk, vinegar, and red food colouring as staple ingredients. Its name refers to both its colour and its soft, velvety texture. It has a subtle chocolate flavour that is enhanced by the addition of hot coffee or hot water.

The cake is usually baked in three 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans, resulting in a multi-tiered look when assembled. The layers are often alternated with frosting, creating a beautiful and elegant finish.

The red velvet cake is a stunning choice for a wedding, with its vibrant colour, soft texture, and delightful flavour. It is a unique cake that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser and a memorable part of any wedding celebration.

Red velvet cake alternatives

Red velvet cake is a popular choice for weddings, with its rich, velvety texture, vibrant colour, and distinctive flavour. The colour red, which is often enhanced with red food colouring, also represents love and passion, making it a fitting choice for weddings.

However, if you're looking for alternatives to the classic red velvet cake, there are several options to consider. Here are some ideas for red velvet cake alternatives:

• Lemon Cake: A light and refreshing option, a lemon cake can be a perfect choice for a summer wedding. It pairs well with a variety of fillings and frostings, such as lemon curd, raspberry jam, or a light buttercream.
• Naked Cake: A naked cake is a cake that is intentionally left unfrosted or partially frosted, revealing the layers of cake and filling. This style can be a beautiful and elegant choice for a wedding, especially if you want to showcase fresh fruit, floral decorations, or other unique fillings.
• Chocolate Cake: A chocolate cake is a classic and versatile option that can be tailored to your taste. For a wedding, consider a rich, decadent chocolate cake with a smooth ganache or a light and airy chocolate cake with a fruity filling.
• Strawberry Cake: A strawberry cake can be a delightful choice, especially during the summer months when fresh strawberries are in season. It pairs well with a variety of frostings, such as cream cheese, chocolate, or a light buttercream.
• White Chocolate Buttercream Cake: If you're looking for a unique and indulgent option, consider a white chocolate buttercream cake. The white chocolate adds a creamy and sweet flavour to the frosting, creating a luxurious and elegant dessert.
• Spanish Lemon Cake: This unique cake variation offers a twist on the traditional lemon cake, incorporating flavours and ingredients commonly found in Spanish cuisine.

These are just a few alternatives to a red velvet cake for your wedding. Each option can be customised with your choice of fillings, frostings, and decorations to create a truly personalised and memorable wedding cake.

Frequently asked questions