Red Velvet Cake Recipe

A Southern specialty, the Red Velvet Cake owes its red color to history. Originally, its deep red color was thought to be due to a reaction between early varieties of cocoa and baking soda. But this reaction also gave the cake a soapy taste. Thereafter, cooks and bakers must have opted for food color or an edible red dye to get the effect. In the Southern states, where the Devil’s Food Cake originated, it was made with cocoa and beet, hence the original red color effect. The contrasting white frosting completes the effect that has been related to the contrast between The Good and The Evil (the EVIL being represented by a passionate red color).

The name `devilled’ dates back to the 18th century and was meant to be used for spicy foods. In the early nineteen hundreds, the Red Velvet (Devil’s Food) Cake was a popular, even most favorite dessert. The recipe was nobody’s secret and was handy in America as early as 1902. After reigning supreme for almost seventy years, The Red Velvet Cake gradually started losing its popularity when, in the 1970s, red food color was linked to cancer and discontinued in many places.

However, Devil’s Food Cake, or Red Velvet Cake, continues to be a fascinating dessert, even today.

Devil’s Food Cake Recipe

The secret of the continuing success of this straightforward recipe is a LOT of dark Brown sugar that ensures a really DARK Cake, which can be likened to Satan’s Deeds. It may not be Red or Velvet but yes, the taste is still sinful.

For this cake you need:
3 eggs
½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
¾ cup unsalted butter
2 cups plain flour
1 and a ½ tsp baking soda
1 and a ½ tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven at 180 degrees C. Grease and prepare two 9 inch cake tins.
Add the cocoa to about a cup of boiling water and blend in well till it forms a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Beat together butter and sugar till light. Then add the eggs, all the time beating well with an electric mixer or blender. Stir this mixture into the cooled cocoa paste.
The four, baking soda and baking powder are to be sifted together. Then fold in the cocoa and butter mixture, adding sour cream little by little. Make sure it is not over-beaten.

Divide the batter into two moulds and bake till well browned. Cool on a rack.

This cake needs frosted icing which can be done in various flavors. We shall see the plain frosting ingredients here.

6 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
250 grams (about 1 cup) white butter
1 cup finely powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Boil together the flour and milk together in saucepan, stirring constantly, till the flour starts thickening the milk (it should get custard like consistency). Cream butter, sugar and vanilla together, and beat until fluffy. Add flour mixture to this and beat until thick enough to spread on the cake.

After removing the two cakes from their moulds and cooling completely, spread half the icing mix on the top of one. Place the other sponge on top of this icing and cover the top again with the icing. With the leftover icing, cover the sides of the double-tiered cake.

The sinful Devil's Food Cake is ready, albeit not so red.