I have always felt that Red Velvet Cake on Valentine’s Day was so clichéd, it hurt. But…everywhere I looked, people seemed to be baking red velvet cakes, cupcakes and cookies. And I figured it was time to move beyond my safe pound cake variations. And I thought, why not be all red and valentine-y for a change?
So I caved; I bought the red food colouring and made a Red But Not Quite Velvet cake. (I thought they were clichéd and silly earlier, but after baking, I realized they are pretty and nice. And pretty nice, too.)
Most recipes for red velvet cake call for buttermilk or sour cream; I had neither and made do with regular cream and whole milk. So my cake, whilst moist and fluffy, was not completely velvety. Therefore, I christened it Red But Not Quite Velvet Cake.
RED BUT NOT QUITE VELVET CAKE (Adapted from IOU Coffee)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 oz red food colouring (3 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 180 C and grease two 6-inch baking dishes (or any other dishes which will hold this amount of batter; I had two 6-inch dishes so used them,) and keep aside.
- Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and sugar in a large bowl and set aside.
- Add the butter to the dry ingredients, a little at a time, and beat until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.
- To this mixture, beat in one egg at a time.
- Next, add the cream, and beat some more.
- Now add the milk and beat some more.
- Then, add the vanilla extract beat some more!
- Once it is combined evenly, add the red food colouring and beat some more!! (I am enjoying the usage of ‘beat some more.’)
- Now that everything is well and truly beaten, spoon the batter into your greased baking dish and bake at 180 C for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cut yourself and your loved ones good, economy-sized pieces and dig in.
I also made a basic buttercream frosting. All I did was beat together frosting sugar, butter at room temperature and vanilla extract. It is so easy and so yummy!
This cake is worth the effort.
It’s Red, But Not Quite Velvet.
But very very good.
And so pretty and RED.
And, after you have devoured a piece, if you get cake crumbs smeared on your teeth and lips, and your skin is pale and pasty, and you have a pained, vacuous expression in your eyes, you just might resemble Edward Cullen after a kill!!
Photo courtesy | flickr.com
Original image can be found here.
(I am guilty of watching Twilight on Valentine’s Day. So bite me. Ha.)
Until next Valentine’s….
Sugar, Spice, Etc 
*runs to Hummingbird as Mumbai is a little too far away*
When you are here next, will bake 🙂
I’ve never understood the whole deal about red velvet cakes. They just look pretty to me 😛 But, I’ll pretty much eat any cake so I’d totally polish this off if it was in front of me Heheh And you like ‘Twilight’? I didn’t quite take to it, especially with glowing vampires 😛
Yeah, cake is any form is good for me as well. No, I’m not a Twilight fan as such, it’s just one of those guilty pleasures 😛
I’ve actually never had Red Velvet cake before. That’s definitely on my to-eat list. haha
Oh you must, Marie! And in NYC I’m sure you will find some real decadent ones 🙂
I think it may be my first visit to your blog – Cake looks quite edible and yummy! Like the name of your blog 😉 Look forward to more recipes from you! cheers, priya
Do visit my blog when you have a moment! ty
Hey Priya! I am so sorry for responding so late- thank you very much for visiting and for your kind words. I will be hopping across to your site next!
looks incredibly soft… love the red, val day or not 🙂
Thanks Deeps! Yeah the colour is quite pretty…I want to learn how to make a natural food colouring for next time!
Belated Happy Valentine’s Day! The cake looks amazing and so does the frosting!
Thanks for stopping by, Asmita! Yes, the frosting was amazing- I think I have done a dangerous thing. Now I have taken to eating frosting when I should be watching the calories
Happy Valentines.. belated. The cake looks amazing with the frosting. Drooling.
Thanks so much!! You know, I had so much frosting leftover, I was eating it by the spoonful. Not a food thing!
And so another wonderful cake is invented… love the idea and I love the name.. not so velvet… Just found your blog and can’t wait to see your posts:)
Thanks so much for stopping by! I am flattered by your kind words. Am going through the dreamsicle smoothie post right now, and I love your tip on how to bake and stay in shape 😛
Thank goodness I am lusting over this delicious cake and not E.Cullen 😉
Hahaha! The cake is much nicer than sullen Cullen.
Your cake looks so good! Now, I’m craving some red velvet.
I need to try out your red velvet cookies with the cream cheese centre next!
I’m addicted to red velvet cake, even if it’s not velvety. Oh sooo good.
You know, I think velvet is subjective. As long as it is velvety for the eater, it is fine 🙂
Like the name! It looks great too. But I shall be staunchly avoiding anything too lovey-dovey for the forseeable future 🙂
Lol! Thank you very much. Yes, the season for lovey-doveyness has passed. Don’t think I will be making anything pink or heart shaped for a while now either!