Does anyone have an original Red velvet cake recipe?

[Hollywood Chickens]

I read that originally (before 1930) Red velvet cake (devils food cake) got it's red color from the chemical reaction of non-alkalized cocoa and buttermilk reacting together. I really really want to try it but I can't find a recipe anywhere!!
Does anyone have one? Even if it is a sketchy (splash of this, handful of that) recipe that works. I have been baking for 11 years so I can figure out the rest. TIA!!

 

[LovedMyAlydar]

Found this one online.


[Dye-free Retro Red Velvet Cake]

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups white flour
• 3/4 cup organic cane sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbs cocoa powder *
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 large cage-free egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 tsp white distilled vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cooked beet (about 1 small beet, boiled and pureed)
• 1 tbs lemon juice

* For a more authentic rust-brown hue, be sure to look for natural cocoa powder and avoid Dutch-processed.
[Cream Cheese Frosting]

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 package), softened
• 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup organic powdered sugar (Trader Joe’s sells organic powdered sugar.)
• Optional Garnish: strawberries or chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. Puree (cooked) beet. Add lemon juice and mix. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
4. In a large bowl, mix softened butter, buttermilk, (beaten) egg, vanilla, and vinegar. Add beet-lemon mixture.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until smooth.
6. Divide equally into 12 lined muffin tins.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely.
8. To frost: Mix cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and gently mix until incorporated. Beat until light and fluffy. Frost.

Tips to achieve a reddish-brown hue naturally:

• Choose a recipe that calls for both distilled white vinegar and buttermilk. (The chemical reaction is said to deepen a reddish tint.)
• Use all-natural (not Dutch-processed) cocoa powder.
• Replace the food coloring with a mixture of pureed beets and lemon juice (at a ratio of 4:1, beats:lemon juice).

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

Thank you!

 

[LovedMyAlydar]

Here is another version, supposedly from Hershey's. Sounds like the original to me. I like baking from older cookbooks, they don't use so much sugar and butter but taste just as good.


These recipes were on Hershey's cocoa boxes during the 1930's and you would be hard pressed to improve on them!
HERSHEY'S RED VELVET CAKE
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp Hershey's cocoa
2 oz red food coloring
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp vinegar
Pre-heat oven to 350F.
Cream the shortening and sugar. Add eggs an vanilla and beat well.
In a separate bowl blend cocoa and food coloring. Add to the sugar mixture. Add flour, buttermilk and salt alternately.
Mix the soda and vinegar in a cup and add to the batter. Pour the batter into 2 greased and floured 9 inch cake pans.
Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes. Let cool before frosting.
NOTES:
**if desired divide the batter between 3 (three) 8 inch pans (this is what the original recipe called for)
HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM FROSTING AND FILLING
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tbsp Hershey's chocolate flavored syrup
2/3 cup sour cream (dairy sour cream)
1 tsp vanilla
In a saucepan, combine the sugar and chocolate syrup.
When well mixed, add the sour cream. Cook over medium heat to the soft boil stage (234F).
Remove from the heat. Add vanilla and beat until thick enough to spread.
Add crushed nuts of choice for variety.
Yields 1 1/2 cups icing.

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

I love the really old cookbooks. I have a few from the 30's and 40's but even by then they were doing food coloring.
Butter does taste amazing in baked good. Also buttermilk! I love that stuff for my cakes lol.

 

[Arielle]

OH my !! You have my taste buds driving me to the kitchen to whip up a batch!! Food colorings are best left out of our foods, so I am excited to see recipes without. Yum!!!

ANother recipe to try this summer.

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

India Tree colors are pretty good, but they don't bake well.

 

[luvmypets]

Subscribing... I just love baking!