Red Velvet Cake is an attractive dessert cake popular in the American South. Though the red color of this rich moist cake is done with food coloring material, during World War II, the red hue was obtained naturally by using boiled beets. This chocolate or vanilla-flavored layered cake with a creamy white frosting was once the signature dessert of Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City. According to a legend, a woman on asking for the Red Velvet Cake recipe was billed an exorbitant amount, due to which she spread the recipe to friends and relatives in a chain letter. No wonder the Red Velvet Cake is a favorite dessert of many.
Ingredients and Method of Preparation of the Red Velvet Cake
The Red Velvet Cake recipes often use flour, butter, buttermilk, cocoa and red food coloring or beets and is often baked. James Beard's American Cookery book shows three different kinds of Red Velvet cakes, each differing from the other in the proportion of butter and shortening used in the Red Velvet Cake recipe. The traditional cake comes with a white cream cheese frosting. The Red Velvet Cake is made in three tempting shades, namely, dark red, bright red and reddish brown.
Occasions when Red Velvet Cake is Served
Though the red velvet cake appears royal and fit for a grand party, the cake is not strictly meant for haute cuisine. It's more of a comfort food for many, though it is a favorite during family parties and weddings. Jessica Simpson, the Texan crooner, had one for her wedding. However, the cake has made its presence felt commercially in America and elsewhere. In the 1940s and 1950s in Canada the Red Velvet Cake recipe was promoted as an Eaton dessert recipe and was wrongly believed to have been invented by Lady Eaton, the Eaton department store veteran.