Red is also described as a warm and positive colour that is associated with our most physical needs and our will to survive. It awakens our physical life force and has been known to stimulate deeper and more intimate passions, such as love and sex. Valentine's rings a bell, anyone??
Red Velvet cake is essentially coloured Devil's Food Cake. To achieve the red colour, red food colouring is often added, or some use beet juice/root. My preference is the latter, in combination with a quality cocoa powder and I leave the rest to science.
The acid in the vinegar and buttermilk create a chemical reaction that causes the anthocyanin present in cocoa to reveal its true colour. I have recently learned that using a natural unsweetened, non-alkalized cocoa can create a more brilliant, as the natural pigments are more pronounced in the absence of the added alkaline (dutch process). So, I have been thinking about experimenting with various cocoas to come up with a super red colour, without compromising taste.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon water
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa I use E. Guittard Cocoa Rouge
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon beet juice 1 medium beet yields about 4 tbsp
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ cups superfine sugar
Frosting
- 150 g liquid egg whites
- 250 g sugar
- 340 unsalted butter cut into cubes and cool
- 1 teaspoon Tahitian crushed vanilla beans
- 1 tablespoon coconut bakery emulsion
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Line muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.
- Place the butter, water, and cocoa in a small saucepan and heat gently, without boiling, stirring until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Beat together the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, vinegar and beet juice until frothy. Beat in the butter mixture. Sift together the flour, cornstarch and baking powder, then stir into the
- mixture with the superfine sugar.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then place on a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
- Using a clean towel and some lemon juice or vinegar, clean all equipment and utensils to be used for preparing the meringue..
- Fill a heavy duty pot about a quarter of the way with water and place on the stove over medium heat to simmer.
- Add egg whites and sugar to the mixing bowl and place on top of the pot, ensuring the bottom of the bowl is not in contact with the water in the pot. Lightly whisk the sugar egg white mixture constantly until temperature reaches 160°F.
- Once at the correct temperature, remove from heat and transfer mixing bowl to the stand mixer. With the whisk attachment, begin to whip the meringue until it is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl is no longer warm to the touch. Do not begin adding butter while the bowl is still warm.
- Switch from your whisk to paddle attachment and with mixer on low speed, add butter cubes, one at a time, until incorporated. Continue to mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture.
- Add emulsion vanilla beans and salt and continuing to beat on low speed until well combined.
Regina @SpecialtyCakeCreations says
Haha... I was a little surprised to see you posting about coconut buttercream, but then I saw it doesn't involve any coconut meat 😉
I still absolutely love that you don't use red food coloring for RV cake. It's totally on my "to-try" list next time I have a kitchen with an oven and want to make RV cake.
I Sugar Coat It! says
LOL...I thought that might throw you a bit!
I Sugar Coat It! says
I bought mine at Golda's, but you can probably find them on Amazon. They come in various flavours.
G Pavao says
I've already pinned the recipe. My daughter loves red velvet cake but I don't like the fact that most recipes called for a large amount of red food coloring. Love the fact that your recipe doesn't use any. By the way, where do you purchase your coconut emulsion?
Radhika says
Hi Jaquee,
That looks divine! I make my RV cakes with beetroot grated into the batter. The cake is so much more moist because of the beetroot. Yet to find the Guittard red here.
Paula Kelly-Bourque says
Honestly, I've never had red velvet cake, not yet at least. I do like that you create yours without red food colouring so your recipe is going to be a *must try*. The blue frosting against the red cupcake is really pretty.
I Sugar Coat It! says
I hope you do! Would love to know what think once you do.
Karen Acers says
Do you know of any other fruit or vegetables that can be used to make other colors of "velvet"?