What Is The Red Velvet Cake Supposed To Taste Like?
Decorating By Pebbles1727 Updated 10 Mar 2014 , 8:42pm by lorettaD
I know that this is probably a silly question, but really, what is it supposed to taste like? I never had red velvet cake, and someone asked for me to make one. I just baked Cakeman Raven's recipe, and wonder if that's what it's supposed to taste like. It looks good, seems most, smells a little like paint (must be 1 oz of coloring), taste fine, not like a wow, but good. It is still warm though so it may taste differently when it cools. I'm not a cake eater either, so if anyone ever made this recipe, can you tell me if it tastes right or should I go with something different. My 5 year old seems to like it, he is not a cake eater either, but the color may be too hard to resist for him 
I know that this is probably a silly question, but really, what is it supposed to taste like? I never had red velvet cake...
Red Velvet cake is basically chocolate cake, although not every recipe includes cocoa these days. Devil's Food & Red Velvet are only a couple of names used to describe chocolate cakes. So, aside from the traditional cream cheese icing, it should taste like chocolate cake.
A traditional Red Velvet cake is not a straight up chocolate cake, it has a "wisp" of chocolate in it, so it just has a hint of the flavor at best. It will not taste like a full regular chocolate cake. If it does, thats not considered Red Velvet, but red-colored chocolate cake. It does have a different taste. The amount of cocoa powder varies from as little as 1 tsp. to as much as 3 TBLS. I prefer a little more cocoa powder (6 TBLS., still not a strong chocolate flavor & some would say by me doing that, its no longer a true Red Velvet Cake). I also use Cake Man Ravens recipe and I like it. I also enjoy his recipe for cream cheese frosting. People tend to use cream cheese frosting for Red Velvets, but some do prefer a 7-minute frosting on it.
Thank you all, that really helps. It does not taste like a chocolate cake I'm used to, it's kind of a cross between vanilla and something else. I only put 1 tsp of coco powder in it, as per recipe. I just needed to know what people normally expect when they say red velvet. Let's hope this person does not expect red colored chocolate cake....
Thanks again, P
I was just googling this exact question!
I just made Chef Stef's RV recipe, for 12 cupcakes and one 6 in round. The batter was a tad oily, but not that big a deal. The cuppies aren't the prettiest looking, the edges rose higher than the middle. The 6 in looks ok.
I tried a cupcake. I can't really describe it the flavor, a hint of chocolate though it did smell and taste like cornbread a tiny bit? It was nice and moist. The color was beautiful!
*sigh* how do you know if you did it right when you don't know how it's supposed to taste????
I was just googling this exact question!
I just made Chef Stef's RV recipe, for 12 cupcakes and one 6 in round. The batter was a tad oily, but not that big a deal. The cuppies aren't the prettiest looking, the edges rose higher than the middle. The 6 in looks ok.
I tried a cupcake. I can't really describe it the flavor, a hint of chocolate though it did smell and taste like cornbread a tiny bit? It was nice and moist. The color was beautiful!
*sigh* how do you know if you did it right when you don't know how it's supposed to taste????
Cornbread. That is the flavor I thought of when I tasted both of the recipes I tried so far. I thought maybe I was the only one who thought that.
Sorry about resurrecting an old post, but I feel like I'm on mission to find a good RV recipe! I just love the look, the sharp contrast between the red cake and the icing (not sure if I like the cream cheese, but the cooked icing always has to be refrigerated (sp?) and I don't want to have to worry about that).
I tried an allrecipes.com RV and it was DRY! Chef Stef was moist but wasn't sure how it was supposed to taste.
I absolutely love red velvet. To me it's got a hint of chocolate but definitely not a chocolate cake... what can definitely be tasted is the buttermilk used, giving it almost a tangy depth to the cake.
I tried Cakeman Raven's recipe and didn't care for it at all - much to oily and like some said, has a similar texture to cornbread for some reason.
I use Cakeman Raven's with 2 T of chocolate instead of 1tsp. (be sure it isn't dutch process) I also use GFS red food color and it is redder than most and I can use less (about a tsp and a 1/2) and it is less chemical hint than most so using less of a less chemically color helps I think. I also just use regular flour (I think he calls for cake flour). I think if you use less chocolate the red is more true red and more chocolate gives a richer red color.
Definitely not a chocolate cake. there is a tang from the buttermilk and the vinegar that is enhanced by the cream cheese icing.
This is not a slap in your face flavor, it is subtle.
I am convinced the brand of red food coloring makes a difference in the taste - not just the look. I've been using McCormick red food coloring in my RVC since since 1968. Recently, I got frustrated because so many stores carry store brand food coloring, and it was getting more difficult to find. So, I went online and bought a QUART of the McCormick stuff! I'm a much happier camper now. I also began tweaking my old tried and true recipe. I had been using 2 TBS cocoa but decided that was dulling the red color and cut it back to 1 TBS (which was the proportion originally suggested). I didn't notice much difference in taste. I also upped the butter by 50% and added ANOTHER ounce of food coloring and another tsp of vinegar. I've now got a tender, moist, beautiful RVC with that almost indescribable taste it should have. 
I don't know why we tinker with this particular recipe so. I'm as guilty as the next person!
What does RV taste like? It apparently depends on where in the US you live! 
I had no idea that parts of this country thought RV is basically a chocolate cake with red food coloring. No, no, no! 
I just noticed that the chocolate cake/cornbread commenters don't live below the Mason Dixon line!
This TN member has it right:
Definitely not a chocolate cake. there is a tang from the buttermilk and the vinegar that is enhanced by the cream cheese icing.
This is not a slap in your face flavor, it is subtle.
100% agree with the above description!! A true southern Red Velvet cake is more of a buttermilk cake than a chocolate cake. I believe the red color originally came from beet sugar.
It is hard to find a RV recipe that "tastes right" when you aren't quite sure what the buyer is looking for!
Well then I'm thoroughly confused! Most of those that agree that RV is NOT supposed to be a chocolate cake also believe that cream cheese is not the appropriate frosting!
Whenever a CC'rr who grew up in the south replies, it's to say that the cooked icing is the traditional RV frosting.
I'm from Pgh so the first time I ever heard of an RV cake was from the movie Steel Magnolia's! lol
What does RV taste like? It apparently depends on where in the US you live!
I had no idea that parts of this country thought RV is basically a chocolate cake with red food coloring. No, no, no! I just noticed that the chocolate cake/cornbread commenters don't live below the Mason Dixon line!
This TN member has it right:
Definitely not a chocolate cake. there is a tang from the buttermilk and the vinegar that is enhanced by the cream cheese icing.
This is not a slap in your face flavor, it is subtle.
100% agree with the above description!! A true southern Red Velvet cake is more of a buttermilk cake than a chocolate cake. I believe the red color originally came from beet sugar.
It is hard to find a RV recipe that "tastes right" when you aren't quite sure what the buyer is looking for!
Well then I'm thoroughly confused! Most of those that agree that RV is NOT supposed to be a chocolate cake also believe that cream cheese is not the appropriate frosting!
Whenever a CC'rr who grew up in the south replies, it's to say that the cooked icing is the traditional RV frosting.
I'm from Pgh so the first time I ever heard of an RV cake was from the movie Steel Magnolia's! lol
IMO, you've got it right! When I said I 100% agreed with another poster's description, I was focusing on the cake flavor.
The cooked icing with a little flour and granulated sugar is traditional, but the cream cheese icing is a lot more popular now. I don't ever remember relatives keeping RV in the fridge (which they should do with cc frosting 
) The cooked icing on RV was unique to that cake in my household. Cream cheese icing was for carrot cakes!
FWIW, I prefer the cream creese on RV myself.
Personally, I prefer the cooked icing. That's how the cake was presented back in 1968 when I first tasted it. But, soooo many people who are younger grew up tasting this cake with cream cheese icing, that's what I put on it when I make it for others. The cooked icing isn't worth a flip for decorating. I'm not that nuts about CC icing for decorating, either - but I've had some success with the crusting varieties. I'm a Texan, living in Tennessee currently, for what it's worth.
Babsy - I've tried to send you two PMs about this topic. They just sit there and do nothing. In fact, everything I've tried to send since August 17 is still just sitting there. I didn't know until I happened to check my outbox.
Odd, though...I got YOUR PM to me. Try to send me your real email and I'll send the recipe to you that way.
You guys might find this article interesting. In it she says "...that back in the late 1800's, "Velvet had simply come to denote any cake with an especially fine crumb." It became Red Velvet Cake only because the dessert was made with red (a.k.a. brown) sugar. And, yes, a reaction between the cocoa powder and acids in the recipe gave the cake a bit of a reddish hue.
http://www.thekitchn.com/the-great-red-velvet-cake-cons-157626
I have a friend from Alabama that insists there's no cocoa in a Red Velvet cake, or maybe it's such a small amount she couldn't taste it.
Hi Crimsicle, just joined this site and this replying box doesnt show your name so i hope you see this lol............... your RV cake could you send it to me at crazyslots@hotmail.com i made one and like all these posts i am just not sure what it is suppose to taste like... i went ahead and gave it to the lady who wanted it and i had a mistake one i call it for our home. it tasted ok but not knowing what a real RV cake eater is looking for i had no idea if it was ok or not........... your answer to the ? made sense to me and if you dont mind i would love to try your version of it........ thank you so much if you get this.. if anyone else wants to send that sees this please feel free to send to my email addy your version if you think its a good one...... thanks all
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