AI want to increase the cocoa powder in red velvet, but should I increase the baking soda & buttermilk too? How much? I have increased cocoa powder in the past from 1 teaspoon to about a tablespoon but it wasn't as fluffy as usual. 3 tablespoons of cocoa would probably taste even better. Thank you.

I always put in lots of cocoa powder, and add a little buttermilk to keep it the right consistancy. I use Paula Deen's recipe for red velvet bread pudding for my red velvet cake and it is really good! Even people who only like red velvet for the cream cheese frosting (which, really, is everybody-let's be honest!) liked the cupcakes straight.
 

AThank you! How much extra do you use? Bc too much cocoa & it tastes like chocolate cake. It's hard for me to get the flavor right.

Typically in baking you can adjust the cocoa powder in direct proportions to flour. If you want to add 1/4 c. cocoa powder to a recipe with out any cocoa, you take out 1/4 c. of your flour to balance the recipe. In baking cocoa powder acts similarly to flour....so if you add extra cocoa it's like adding extra flour.

Adding a bit more liquid to counter balance the drying effect of adding additional flour or cocoa powder will only work if your talking about a minute amount.

AThis is also very helpful Stitches, thanks. I think I will try replacing some of the flour with cocoa powder.

Usually it is tablespoons i am adding, you are right, too much turns it into chocolate cake. I think the recipe calls for 1-2 tbsp and I add maybe 2-3 more, plus maybe 2-3 tbsp of buttermilk. It also depends on what I am making-moister batter for cupcakes and slightly stiffer batter for layer cakes and the bread pudding.

Stitches- I have heard the flour to cocoa before and I think I used it in a different recipe, but I seem to remember cocoa still causing the product to dry out a little more. It is a good rule of thumb though.

Maybe try a few half batches and see what ratio works for you?
 

I thought I read somewhere that if you add more cocoa you need to add more fat.

AThank you all for the help & suggestions. I am going to test out a few & give to some red velvet fanatics for their opinions. Will let you know how it turns out :D.

AI halved the recipe & subbed 2TBS of flour for cocoa. The flavor was identical to sprinkles which has the best RV and it was super moist. People went crazy over it even the RV haters. However, it was super crumbly & stuck to the sides of the wrapper...a problem I also have with Hershey's perfect chocolate cake as cupcakes. No one said anything tho...just compliments & to keep the recipe. Here's a pic & I made them with Wilton's king size muffin pan(awesome pan).[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3082506/width/200/height/400[/IMG]