Red Velvet, what's all the fuss about ??

I have heard of red velvet cakes and cupcakes...they have been trendy recently, a retro thing I am guessing. I volunteered to make dessert for a gathering recently and was told by the hostess that one guest had a birthday that week and he loved red velvet cake. I have never quite figured out what the big deal is. They are cakes or cupcakes that are red and this makes them better because ??? I figured once for philosophy would be fun. In looking for a recipe I did find this tidbit of information.

"...while foods were rationed during war time, bakers used boiled beets to enhance the color of their cakes and to retain moisture. Red velvet cake was a signature dessert at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel during the 1920s, and was also well-known in the restaurants and bakeries of the Eaton’s department store chain in Canada during the 1940s and 1950s. Many attribute the cake’s recent popularity to the film Steel Magnolias, in which the groom’s cake was a red velvet cake in the shape of an armadillo. All red velvet cakes have specific ingredients in common: white vinegar, buttermilk and baking soda; the reaction of the vinegar to the buttermilk is said to better reveal the red in the cocoa powder."

Since the hostess was vegan I made two different versions, both with the vegan cream cheese frosting. I will admit I liked the cupcakes, the vegan ones were actually better, but next  I will leave out all the food coloring and call them "brown velvet" ;-)

Red Velvet Cupcakes ( modified from Brown Eyed Baker )

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter (at room temperature)
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons red food coloring
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk ( I used milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice to make it curdle.)
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard muffin/cupcake pan with liners.
If you don't  have buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to 1 cup milk, stir together and set aside.

2. On medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

3. In a separate small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and red food coloring to make a thick paste.

4. Add to the batter and mix on medium speed until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

5. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

6. Again, reduce the mixer speed to low and add the salt, baking soda and vinegar. Turn to high and beat for another couple of minutes until completely combined and smooth.

6. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife or skewer inserted into the center of the largest cupcake comes out clean.

7. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove cupcakes from the pan and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.


Crimson Velveteen Cupcakes ( from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World )


Ingredients:

1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder, Dutch processed or regular
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons red food coloring
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon chocolate extract
(Chocolate extract is worth the trouble to find, but if you can't, use 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract)



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin/cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle.

3. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and mix.

4. Add the oil, food coloring, chocolate extract, and almond extract to the curdled soy milk. 

5.Whisk well to combine. The color is a bit off putting to me...

6. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry, mixing until large lumps disappear, small lumps are okay.

7. Fill cupcake liners about two-thirds of the way full as these cupcakes will rise fairly high.

8. Place in hot oven and bake 18-20 minutes until done.

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
To make my life easier, I frosted both kinds of cupcakes with this frosting. My vegan hostess provided the vegan "cream cheese". I was surprised by how well it came out.

This recipe is just enough to frost two dozen cupcakes.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese, softened (I use: Tofutti, it's Better Than Cream Cheese)
4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Cream together margarine and cream cheese until well combined.
2. Use a mixer to  add the confectioners sugar in 1/2 cup batches. Scrape down the sides in between.
3.  Mix until smooth and creamy, then mix in the vanilla. Keep tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

I used my pastry bag to make the frosting fancy for the birthday boy. You can also just smear it on with a knife.


So there you have it: red velvet cupcakes two ways.