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Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,658
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Really need a great Cake Recipe


@wagirl wrote:

Never really understood what Red Velvet cake is--I know there is alot of red food coloring in it but it really has no taste of its own, does it? I know it has cream cheese frosting too. Just wondering.


@wagirl

 

It's actually a chocolate cake.

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,658
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Really need a great Cake Recipe

@turquoise blue

 

This is an original recipe rom the famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel:

 

CAKE:
 
1/2 cup of shortening (such as Crisco)
 
1 1/2 cups sugar
 
2 eggs
 
2 oz red food coloring
 
1 teaspoon cocoa
 
1 cup buttermilk
 
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flower
 
1 teaspoon salt
 
1 teaspoon baking soda
 
1 teaspoon vinegar
 
Mix vinegar and soda, set aside. Cream sugar and shortening, then add eggs. Mix cocoa and coloring and add to creamed mixture. Add dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk. Add vinegar/soda. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 inch round cake pans, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely, and cut layers in half across. Just make sure they are completely cold.
 
FROSTING
 
1 cup milk
 
3 tablespoons flour
 
1 teaspoon vanilla
 
1 cup sugar
 
1 cup of butter
 
Cook milk and flour until thick. Cool. Cream sugar and butter. Add cooled mixture to creamed mixture. Beat until fluffy. Place 1 layer of cake on plate, spread frosting on layer and continue until all layers have filling. Do not frost sides of cake. Refrigerate.
You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 44,347
Registered: ‎01-08-2011

Re: Really need a great Cake Recipe


@wagirl wrote:

Never really understood what Red Velvet cake is--I know there is alot of red food coloring in it but it really has no taste of its own, does it? I know it has cream cheese frosting too. Just wondering.


@wagirlIt actually has vinegar in the batter.  I guess that's the reason I never cared for it. As I grew older I realized I didn't like anything with vinegar and switched to apple cider vinegar in slaw.

 

The batter with cream cheese icing is an extremely subtle sour-sweet combination.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,109
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Really need a great Cake Recipe

@wagirl....there is chocolate cocoa in it, but you are right not a ton of flavor....but it is a favorite in our house.  The frosting is really good.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,258
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Really need a great Cake Recipe

@turquoise blue

 

I know you'll probably make a wonderful Red Velvet cake, with a fantastic frosting.  Everyone will love it!

 

If you have another occasion pop up in which you'd like to serve a chocolate cake with a great crumb and a richness provided by a bit of coffee, plus a real fudge frosting that is the cat's meow, I offer up the following.  (A favorite, along with carrot cake, of my commercial customers.)  Cake recipe first, then fudge frosting next.  (This can easily be made a day or so ahead of your event without covering, if need be, as the fudge frosting provides a great seal.)

 

Chocolate Sour Cream Cake

 

Makes 2-9” layers or 1-10x15” sheet

 

2 cups a/p flour

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2-1/4 cups light or dark brown sugar

3 large eggs, room temp

4 oz unsweetened chocolate (I prefer Guittard), melted and cooled

1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla

1 cup sour cream

2 cups very strong hot liquid coffee

 

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease pans and line with parchment paper.

 

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter, sugar and eggs for 5 minutes in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, until very light and fluffy.  Beat in chocolate and vanilla.  Stir in about 1/3 of the dry ingredients, half of the sour cream, another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, the rest of the sour cream, and finally the remainder of the dry ingredients. Stir just until mixed.  Gently, stir in hot coffee and then pour equally into prepared pans or pan.  Drop each pan several times onto the counter top from a height of about 12” to release air bubbles.  Bake at 350 F for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge, turn out and cool completely.  Enjoy!

 

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

 

Frosts 1-10x15” sheet or 2-10x2” round layers

 

2-1/4 cups granulated cane sugar

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

9 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (Guittard or Ghirardelli-I prefer Guittard)

12 Tbs (1-1/2 sticks, 6 oz) unsalted butter, sliced in Tbs pieces

3 tsp vanilla extract

 

In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and heavy cream. Place over moderate heat and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes without stirring.  It won’t look like much at this stage.  Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate, butter and vanilla, continuing to stir until the chocolate and butter melt.  Place in a metal bowl and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.  Refrigerate, stirring often, until thickened and of spreading consistency.  Use to frost cake when frosting has reached this stage.  This frosting not only tastes like fudge, it seals the cake nicely, giving it a longer shelf life. 

 

Enjoy~Rebecca

 

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 44,347
Registered: ‎01-08-2011

Re: Really need a great Cake Recipe


@Mom2Dogs wrote:

@wagirl....there is chocolate cocoa in it, but you are right not a ton of flavor....but it is a favorite in our house.  The frosting is really good.


@Mom2DogsMost people are just crazy about it.  My sister loved it.  I just never got there, but I'm one of those who love the really sweet.  I didn't like pound cake for years and years.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,061
Registered: ‎11-24-2011

Re: Really need a great Cake Recipe

[ Edited ]

The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

 
 
Cook Time 30 minutes
The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe - A one bowl chocolate cake recipe that is quick, easy, and delicious!
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 1 cup  buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable canola oil, or melted coconut oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.

For the chocolate cake:
  1. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
  2. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.
  3. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.

  4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.
Notes

The cake batter will be very thin after adding the boiling water.

 

I make this cake all the time and use a 13x9.  The batter looks very thin but turns into the most delicious chocolate cake.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,305
Registered: ‎06-08-2016

Re: Really need a great Cake Recipe

Red velvet is a chocolate cake.

 


@wagirl wrote:

Never really understood what Red Velvet cake is--I know there is alot of red food coloring in it but it really has no taste of its own, does it? I know it has cream cheese frosting too. Just wondering.


 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,195
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Really need a great Cake Recipe

I know you said she likes Red Velvet but Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake has to be the best cake I have ever ate.

I emailed the recipe to DH so he could make it for my birthday which he did. It was so yummy.

 

Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
  • Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
  • Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
  • Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. Makes 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:

ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

 

  • "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING”
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
  • 2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
  • Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

 

Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,305
Registered: ‎05-09-2010

Re: Really need a great Cake Recipe


@wagirl wrote:

Never really understood what Red Velvet cake is--I know there is alot of red food coloring in it but it really has no taste of its own, does it? I know it has cream cheese frosting too. Just wondering.


@wagirl, OMG I was going to make the same comment.  The idea of red velvet cake sounds tasty, and they are pretty, but I can't taste anything.  I thought it was just me and that somehow I didn't "get it."

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. Margaret Mead