Hi to all you cake lovers!

I am new to Cake Central and baking and am looking forward to learning from all of you talented bakers. I was recently asked to bake a Red Velvet cake for a girl's birthday party. The mom asked me to do a Red Velvet cake without the cocoa powder. She said her daughter doesn't like chocolate. It seems a bit strange to me to bake a Red Velvet cake without adding the cocoa powder - the cake will be pink. Not adding cocoa powder seems to change the cake completely. Can it still be considered a Red Velvet cake without the cocoa powder? Please share your thoughts with me so that I can figure out what to do. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

no it's not a red velvet cake without the cocoa powder..it's usually only a couple tablespoons anyway and it's not overly chocolate at all. it's barely a chocolate taste- if that..

It seems that your client just wants a red dyed cake- or pink or whatever other color.

That's what I thought. Thank you for taking the time to respond.
 

ARed velvet without cocoa is not red velvet at all, you can't even taste it, it shouldn't even be a problem to add it- she won't even notice it.

You can just do a white velvet cake and add red food colouring I suppose, sounds like she just wants a red cake.

AI beg to differ. I grew up with red velvet cake WITHOUT cocoa powder, and I can tell you that I don't like it with the cocoa powder in it. You CAN taste it (if you are a supertaster like me). I suppose most people can't tell the difference.

AAdrendari Could you post your recipe? I do not eat chocolate or cocoa powder and have been on the look for a recipe for a red velvet cake that I can eat. I would be greatful :)

I make velvet cakes all the time in a variety of colors. The important factors in a velvet cake are your process of constructing the cake (i.e. creaming the butter and sugar properly, sifting the dry ingredients, incorporating the eggs one at a time, etc.) the butter, the cake flour, the buttermilk, and the baking soda and vinegar added at the end. A red velvet cake with the cocoa just has a little different nuance. Without it, it is still the smooth velvety cake. I would think any red velvet cake could be converted to a non-cocoa velvet cake. You might have to play around with your baking soda though because that could be different with the cocoa absent. With my recipe it does not seem to affect the texture when the cocoa is left out. HTH

ATechnically, no it isn't red velvet.

Red velvet got it's traditional red color because of a chemical reaction between the cocoa & baking soda. Today, most cocoa is Dutch processed and the chemical reaction no longer occurs. This is why most recipes now call for red food coloring.

Without the cocoa, it is an entirely different cake.

Can you imagine someone asking for a lemon cake without any lemon?!

Of course, this doesn't have to be explained to the client. No need to lecture her on the original creation of the cake or the nuisances of baking.

and vinegar was part of the reaction

Red Velvet Cake

Cake

2 1/4

cups

All-purpose Flour

1

tsp

Baking Soda

1

tsp

Salt

1 1/2

cups

Sugar

1

cup

Buttermilk

1 3/4

cups

Vegetable Oil

2

Eggs

1

tsp

Vanilla Extract

1

oz

Red Food Coloring

1

tsp

White Vinegar

Frosting

8

oz

Cream Cheese

1/2

cup

Butter

1

lb

Confectioner's Sugar

1

tsp

Vanilla Extract

1

CAKE Sift flour, salt, and baking soda together. Cream sugar, milk, eggs and oil in a separate bowl. Slowly blend in dry ingredients into creamed mixture. Add vanilla, red coloring, and vinegar until blended. Pour into two well floured 9 inch cake pans and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool, then frost.

2

FROSTING Mix the first three ingredients together until smooth, then add the vanilla and mix well. Spread over cooled cake.

Mine is very similar to the one darkchocolate posted.

I grew up with this recipe because I have to avoid chocolate. Gives me migraines.

AIt's no longer a red velvet cake so no use calling it that. Just make her a red cake using your white or yellow cake recipe. Also be careful with taking out cocoa powder from a recipe. You could throw off the acid-base balance of the recipe.

You could just make a white or yellow cake and add red food coloring... but IT IS NOT THE SAME. 

I have used the recipe I've posted for years. Got it from my mom. It does NOT taste the same as a red or yellow cake. They do not have the velvety texture and rich taste that the non-cocoa powder version of the red velvet cake. It is still a VELVET cake. 

AAdrendari

Thank you very much!! I will make it ASAP!!

AThank you it was a lovely recipe, one if the only ones that my family actually gobbled down, it had a lovely texture. I only used 2/3 of the amount of buttercream and it was a bit too much for my liking. But I was very impressed, thank you :)