AHelp! I tried a new RV recipe today that tastes great, but has a dense, flat texture. The recipe called for cake flour, but since it has buttermilk in it I used AP flour instead(I thought this was a rule). Is that the reason for the cake fail, or did I possibly overbeat the batter? Also, I used Americolor gel coloring and it did [B]not [/B]mix well with the cocoa powder. LOL. Should I use liquid coloring?

My recipe calls for cake flour and I use cake flour... I use buttermilk in almost all my cakes... and they almost always have cake flour in them... I don't know anything about supposed to be using ap flour with buttermilk...

As for the Americolor gel... You could try mixing it with the batter itself at some point... I actually use red powder dye in mine... i just mix it in with my dry mix... 

AThanks. I will definitely try cake flour next time and mix the red gel into the batter instead of mixing with the cocoa. This was the Paula Deen recipe. I like the flavor since it has butter and no oil. My first RV tasted like nothing but oil. Anyway, good thing this is for cake pops! ;)

My recipe calls for cake flour, and I find it to be really soft sometimes. I'm thinking of trying a mix of cake and AP.  The red food coloring should go after the eggs with the vanilla (that's what I do).  I've never heard mixing it with the cocoa.  I sift the cocoa in with the flour.  

http://www.epicurean.com/featured/red-velvet-cake-recipe.html

Southern Cakes by Nancie McDermott
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 cup buttermilk 
2 tablespoons cocoa 
1-ounce bottle red food coloring 
1 cup butter 
2 cups sugar 
2 eggs 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 
1 tablespoon vinegar

If you change ingredients in a recipe - ie substitute AP flour for cake flour you will get an inaccurate result.

Baking is a science - with each ingredient performing a function

If you want to use AP flour - pick a recipe that uses it .... like Auzzi provided

AThanks, everyone. As a beginner, I think I found some bad advice out there. Glad to have CC and all of you now!