Red Velvet Cake With History

* Exported from MasterCook *

RED VELVET CAKE WITH HISTORY

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes Chocolate

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 1/4 c Cake flour
1 t Baking soda
1 t Salt
1/4 c Baking cocoa
1 1/2 c Sugar
1 1/2 c Oil
2 Eggs
2 ts To 1 oz of red food color
1 t Vanilla
1 t White vinegar
1 c Buttermilk
Frosting:
1 pk 8 oz cream cheese
1 Stick butter
1 lb Box powdered sugar
1 t Vanilla
Milk as needed

Red velvet cake also known as the $100 dollar cake,
$200 dollar cake, or Waldorph Astoria Cake is only a
legend as is the Nieman Marcus cookies and all are
examples of a legend that pits institutions against a
consumer who feels he/she has been unfairly
charged.The recipe is a grass roots recipe not an
institutional one.

James Beard outlines in his American Cookery that
there is really 3 varieties of red velvet cake,
recipes being different in the use of butter,
vegetable shortening ( crisco ) and oil.Most all call
for cake flour and buttermilk, baking soda and vinegar
for the leaving process.

The redness of the cake comes from red food color
despite the chemical reaction of baking soda, vinegar
, buttermilk and cocoa which cause a reddish brown
color, not red in the cake.

This cake is moist and red with a velvety texture and
the flavor nondistinctive as is most red velvet cakes.
Red Velvet cake is also cultural as recipes differ in
community cookbooks accross America even as to the
type of frosting for the cake. The moistest cake is
one made with oil and cake flour.The amount of food
color is up to you.Start with 2 teaspoons as a base.

The above recipe comes from:" Celebrating Our Mothers'
Kitchen", a fundraising cookbook published by The
National Council for Negro Woman.

Preparation: Grease and flour 2, 9 inch pans and line
with paper.In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda,
cocoa and salt. In another bowl with mixer at low
speed or spoon beat sugar and oil until blended. Add
eggs, one at a time to blend well.Blend in food color,
vanilla and vinegar.Scape bowl down with spatula.
Alternately blend in flour mixture and buttermilk,
using about 1/3 each time and scraping bowl down at
least twice. Do not beat on high or cake will be
tough.Pour into prepared pans and bake in a preheated
350 degree oven 20 to 25 minutes or tested done with
toothpick.Cool on racks 5 minutes and remove from pan
and cool completely.Frost layers when cold.Beat cream
cheese until softened and smooth. Add butter and
continue to beat till softened. Beat in sugar a little
at a time and then vanilla.If too thick blend in cold
milk a tablespoon at a time till desired consisitency.



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