50 of the Best Red Velvet Recipes! (2024)

FAQs

What flavors go best with red velvet? ›

It is very easy to improve a boxed cake mix. Replace the oil with the same amount of melted butter. Add one extra egg and use milk in place of water if you have it. Add a box of instant chocolate pudding, and because we're speaking of red velvet, add 1/2 tsp red food coloring.

Flavor profile

While there are cocoa undertones, red velvet is not chocolate cake because it balances both chocolate and vanilla flavors. It contains cocoa but not the same quantity as traditional chocolate cake, resulting in a more subtle cocoa flavor and tanginess due to the buttermilk and vinegar.

Cocoa powder: Both Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder will work for this red velvet cake recipe. I use 3 tablespoons for a slightly more noticeable chocolate taste to the cake, but 2 tablespoons is pretty standard for most red velvet cakes.

Elevate your red velvet cake with these mouthwatering filling ideas. From cream cheese to raspberry, discover the perfect fillings to take your cake to the next level.

Red velvet's distinctive flavor is not merely a trick of the senses that comes from dying chocolate red. No, in fact, red velvet batter contains a mixture of vanilla and a dash of cocoa, plus more vinegary tartness than you might find in a typical cake.

The buttermilk and vinegar give the cake that tender, light, and fluffy texture. Red velvet cake is also usually paired with white cream-cheese frosting. The white contrast highlights the lush red color, while the tanginess of the cream cheese plays off the buttermilk so well.

Chocolate cake is often pretty moist and dense, while red velvet cake is typically has a much lighter biter. The difference in texture between the two is because of the vinegar and buttermilk used in red velvet cakes that help to lend a softer and much more tender texture.

How do you elevate a box red velvet cake? Substituting equal parts melted butter for oil, adding an extra egg, and using buttermilk instead of water can dramatically improve the cake's flavor and texture. Incorporating half sour cream and half water also elevates the cake mix further.

Traditional chocolate cake rocks a rich cocoa taste from chocolate chips, melted chocolate, and cocoa powder. Red velvet also has a bit of cocoa powder for a subtle chocolate taste, but thanks to buttermilk and vinegar, you can spot a tart tang that sets it apart.

What is the point of red velvet cake? ›

In recent history, red velvet cake has become synonymous with Juneteenth celebrations. Not only does the color red symbolize the bloodshed of the enslaved people who never experienced freedom, but it's also a symbol of strength and spiritual transformation in West African cultures.

The key difference between the two cakes is that devil's food cake uses chocolate and red velvet cake uses cocoa.

The Red Velvet Cake Roll boasts a flavor that is all its own, so a dairy-based dessert, like hot chocolate, will help offset the acidity in this dessert. The extra hint of cocoa from the hot chocolate creates a perfect balance between tartness and sweetness while also cleansing the palate.

Many years ago, the red color came from the presence of vinegar and buttermilk reacting with the anthocyanins in traditional cocoa powder. But for most of the last few decades, the red color has been supplied by Red #40 dye, in part because cocoa powder used now is alkalized to neutralize its acidity.

Red velvet cake and cheesecake ice cream

Although it can be dense to eat on its own, pairing the cake with a mildly flavored ice cream, like a cheesecake, will bring out some of the softer notes and complement the bite of the red velvet cake's signature cream cheese icing.

Made with rich cocoa. Great for sheet cakes, layer cakes, cupcakes, and more. Try topping red velvet cake with Duncan Hines® Cream Cheese Frosting and a sprinkle of cake crumbs.