I Found The One Red Velvet Recipe!

Decorating By KitchenKat Updated 14 Oct 2010 , 9:37am by chocolatestone

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KitchenKat Posted 19 Nov 2009 , 10:55am
post #1 of 107

I love Red Velvet Cake but even with the great recipes I've tried, I haven't really been satisfied. Either the texture was off or the flavor wasn't great. The search is over! I found it! This recipe from Rose Levy Berenbaum's new book "Heavenly Cakes" is divine. The crumb is moist and tender. It tastes wonderfully tangy and it's so good I can devour it on my own.

I also love the white chocolate cream cheese frosting - so yummy! But I added about a cup of powdered sugar per recipe because I wanted the frosting to be a bit sweeter.

For an 8" & 6" tier I made 3 times the recipe for the cake and 7 x the quantity for the frosting.

Cakeman Raven's in Brooklyn was our family's Holy Grail of Red Velvet. After tasting the Red Velvet I made from Rose's recipe, my 9YO son said "this is better than the Cakeman's" and the family agreed! Thumbs up all the way thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif

Here's a link to the recipe:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1000407551

106 replies
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kkitchen Posted 19 Nov 2009 , 11:34am
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I am so glad you tried this recipe. I got the book as soon as it was realeased and it has been sitting there. Never tried not one of the recipes.... I am ashamed to say that.

Did you try it as cupcakes also?
Did it work well?

Thanks a lot

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Rincewind Posted 19 Nov 2009 , 12:49pm
post #3 of 107

Thanks for the review. I've never really been tempted to make a Red Velvet cake, but now I have to try it.

I've been wanting to get this book, as I love The Cake Bible, so I finally ordered it. Thanks for pushing me over the edge!

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iwantcookies Posted 19 Nov 2009 , 1:22pm
post #4 of 107

wow! thanks for the review! I recently recieved my copy of the Cake Bible (which i absolutely LUV! luv how she has the different measurements, so handy cos i always weigh my ingredients, never use cup measurements) and was sent that recipe from Amazon. I actually baked cake man Raven's red velvet cakes today, haven't tried them yet (they're in the freezer), but its great to know that Rose's red velvet cake is awesome!! Can't wait to try it out now!!! thanks again!!

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JenniferMI Posted 19 Nov 2009 , 1:44pm
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That's GREAT!!!

Jen icon_smile.gif

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LaBellaFlor Posted 19 Nov 2009 , 3:13pm
post #6 of 107

It beats Cakeman Raven's?!?!?!? Thats the one I used, teaked very slightly. I GOT TO GO GET THAT BOOK! I'm a big fan of Rose Levy Bernbaum.

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jammjenks Posted 19 Nov 2009 , 3:17pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LaBellaFlor

It beats Cakeman Raven's?!?!?!? Thats the one I used, teaked very slightly. I GOT TO GO GET THAT BOOK! I'm a big fan of Rose Levy Bernbaum.




This is what I was thinking. I've always used Cakeman's, but now I want to give the new one a try. Next time I have to make one, I'll have to do this one.

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LaBellaFlor Posted 19 Nov 2009 , 3:38pm
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PM me when you do and I'll PM you when I do, so we can compare.

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vagostino Posted 19 Nov 2009 , 3:47pm
post #9 of 107

I'm going to try it too!!! I'm very particular with the red velvet recipes! now i'm curious!

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KitchenKat Posted 20 Nov 2009 , 12:35am
post #10 of 107
Quote:
Originally Posted by LaBellaFlor

It beats Cakeman Raven's?!?!?!? Thats the one I used, teaked very slightly. I GOT TO GO GET THAT BOOK! I'm a big fan of Rose Levy Bernbaum.




When I made the Cakeman's RV recipe, it didn't taste as great as the actual cake from his store in Brooklyn. Maybe the buttermilk I used wasn't as nice as his icon_smile.gif

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tguegirl Posted 20 Nov 2009 , 12:55am
post #11 of 107

Great! I'll have to try this. Does it stack well? Do you think it's sturdy enough to carve?

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cakenutz Posted 20 Nov 2009 , 1:16am
post #12 of 107

Rose is the first lady of cake science I love her recipes. I use the Cake Bible more than most of my other books. Shes awesome

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LaBellaFlor Posted 20 Nov 2009 , 2:47am
post #13 of 107
Quote:
Originally Posted by KitchenKat

Quote:
Originally Posted by LaBellaFlor

It beats Cakeman Raven's?!?!?!? Thats the one I used, teaked very slightly. I GOT TO GO GET THAT BOOK! I'm a big fan of Rose Levy Bernbaum.



When I made the Cakeman's RV recipe, it didn't taste as great as the actual cake from his store in Brooklyn. Maybe the buttermilk I used wasn't as nice as his icon_smile.gif




icon_lol.gif Maybe your buttermilk wasn't as good. But all kidding aside, I'm not even surprise the recipe given is not as good as the one at the store. I'm sure he gave a more basic recipe to the general public, then the recipe he uses to sell, since it is the cake that he's known for. I've personally upped the cocoa powder amount, which of course makes it less then a TRUE Red Velvet cake.

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dailey Posted 20 Nov 2009 , 3:05am
post #14 of 107

thanks for the links ...i *love* rose!!!

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moreCakePlz Posted 20 Nov 2009 , 3:06am
post #15 of 107

What a coincident!

On Tuesday I baked eight different versions of Red Velvet cake and had 25 people at work taste and rate each cake. I havent compiled all the results yet, but Cake Man Ravens cake was one of the favorites. I wish I would have know about Roses cake earlier, I would have baked 9 cakes for the taste test instead of 8.

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mrsmudrash Posted 20 Nov 2009 , 6:22am
post #16 of 107

moreCakePlz: Yes, what a coincidence!!! A girlfriend and I just made 6 RV cakes and had a taste test at my house this morning with 12 other ladies.

I didn't see Rose's before tonight but just compared her recipe to the most popular ones we had today and her's doesn't have much fat in it?! I'm wondering about the moistness compared to winning one today. Paula Deen's was our most popular...you can find her recipe on the food network's site. Although we're going to decrease the sugar just a smudge the next time we make it because it was a bit sweet...but very good!

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revel Posted 20 Nov 2009 , 6:18pm
post #17 of 107

I'd really like to hear the cake tasting results!

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datalore Posted 20 Nov 2009 , 6:37pm
post #18 of 107

Just a question to all of you out there: What kind of red food colouring are you using for the red velvet? Is it the liquid kind from the grocery- or the gel kind most of us use on CC? I recently tried some RV cupcakes using gel colour and it turned out really dark, not the bright sunny red I was after.

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LaBellaFlor Posted 20 Nov 2009 , 6:43pm
post #19 of 107

The liquid food coloring you get at the grocery store. 1 bottle, not 2 like some recipes suggest. I feel that's when you taste the color, but if the really, bright red, is what you are trying to achieve, you may need 2.

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saapena Posted 21 Nov 2009 , 4:05am
post #20 of 107

I would appreciate it if someone could tell me what red velvet cake tastes like. I know there is some cocoa in it so does it taste like a chocolate cake? I would like to make one for the upcoming holidays because of the color.

TIA

Sheryl

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Iva1976 Posted 21 Nov 2009 , 4:17am
post #21 of 107

Save

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LaBellaFlor Posted 21 Nov 2009 , 4:24pm
post #22 of 107

Red VElvet cake DOES NOT taste like chocolate cake. Most reciped only have about a teaspoon of cocoa, as it is only supposed to have a "whisper" of cocoa. I can't really explain the flavor as it's a real different taste. But if you come across one that taste really chocolatey, thats NOT Red Velvet. Thats just a red colored chocolate cake.

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Jenn2179 Posted 21 Nov 2009 , 4:44pm
post #23 of 107

I tried Rose's in the cupcake form and my husband and I both agree that we like Elisa Strauss' Red Velvet recipe better than Rose's recipe. I have not tried Cakeman Raven's recipe.

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Colliegirl Posted 22 Nov 2009 , 2:22am
post #24 of 107

Funny you should mention red velvet. I had a customer that had spent some time in the US and wanted a red velvet. I said sure, not knowing what the cake was and pretty much knew I could get any recipe on the net, so wasn't too worried about it.

Until I read how much red food colouring I had to put in and cringed at the thought. Since I have not tasted or seen a red velvet before I can only hope that it was successful. I didn't get any feed back, but must ring and find out, or do I really want to icon_confused.gif

But I dare say unless I have more American customers I don't think we here in Australia will be wanting one of these. Sure looks spectacular when cut though. icon_lol.gif

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adonisthegreek1 Posted 22 Nov 2009 , 2:53am
post #25 of 107

Wow. Now I have to conduct my own taste test. I usually use Paula Deen or Emeril's recipe. I have Cakeman's recipe, but have never used it. I am curious as to how they stack up side by side.

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snowboarder Posted 22 Nov 2009 , 3:45am
post #26 of 107

I love red velvet. My favorite recipe is Smitten Kitchen's. I use gel paste color and omit the step that says to mix the color with water.

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icer101 Posted 22 Nov 2009 , 4:22am
post #27 of 107

bobby flay did a throw down with cakeman raven.. bobby flay's red velvet won... i printed the recipe ..but have not made it.. i do like cakeman raven's.. but bobby's did look very good.. can,t wait to try bobby's too.

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moreCakePlz Posted 22 Nov 2009 , 5:52pm
post #28 of 107

I just finished compiling all my RVC taste-test results and the winner are:

1st Place - Cake Man Ravenâs Red Velvet
2nd Place â The Pastry Queenâs Red Velvet Cake
3rd Place â Waldorf Astoriaâs Red Velvet Cake
4th Place â Duncan Hines Red Velvet Box Mix
5th Place â Louisiana Red Velvet Cake
6th Place â Paula Deenâs Red Velvet Cake
7th Place â Bobby Flayâs Red Velvet Cake
8th Place â Melissa Grayâs Dark-Chocolate Red Velvet Cake

To see pictures of each cake and details about the taste-rest, go to my blog at:
www.thebakemore.blogspot.com

Carol

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LaBellaFlor Posted 22 Nov 2009 , 6:00pm
post #29 of 107

Very interesting. I use Cakeman Raven's RVC, but I do want to compare it to Rose Levy Berenbaum. Are you going to consider doing another taste test between these two?

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mrsmudrash Posted 23 Nov 2009 , 12:17am
post #30 of 107

HOLY MOLY!!!!!!! What a lot of work you did on this taste test!!! That is SO awesome!!! I'm looking for the ultimate RV too, so I need to try Cakeman's and I'm thinking of baking Rose's tonight. Everyone around here RAVES about California Pizza Kitchen's RV and so I'm using that as my baseline. There's is darker than Cakeman's, so I know there are at least 2 tbsp of cocoa because I made a modified Paula Deen's last night and it was the same color as California Pizza Kitchen. Theirs MUST be oil base because even with a cup of butter and a 1/4 cup of oil, it wasn't even close to the moist factor or CPK. So, the search continues...

Let me know when you test Rose's and I'll do the same! icon_smile.gif Thanks morecakeplz!!

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