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Ravishing Red Velvet Cake

Ravishing Red Velvet Cake

Name: Ravishing Red Velvet Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Yield: 1 9-inch layer cake
Ingredients: ½ cup shortening; 1 ½ cups white sugar; 2 eggs, room temperature; 1 teaspoon butter flavored extract; 4 tablespoons red food coloring; 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon white vinegar; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ½ cup butter, room temperature; 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature; 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Rating: 4.13 stars

94 Ratings
82 Reviews
15 Photos

Quick and easy red velvet cake.

By Julie Dugas

Recipe Summary

prep:

30 mins

cook:

25 mins

total:

1 hr 55 mins

additional:

1 hr

Servings:

Yield:

1 9-inch layer cake

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans.

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Step 2

Beat shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in butter flavoring. Make a paste with food coloring and cocoa and add to the shortening mixture.
Step 3

Mix buttermilk, salt, baking soda and vinegar; add to batter alternating with the flour mixture.
Step 4

Divide batter into prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven until cake springs back when touched lightly with a finger or tester comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes. Cook completely on wire rack.
Step 5

To Make Cream Cheese Frosting: beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix until well blended.

Partner Tip

Reynolds® Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

579 calories; 24.1 g total fat; 73 mg cholesterol; 443 mg sodium. 86.8 g carbohydrates; 6.1 g protein; Full Nutrition

Reviews (82)

Most helpful positive review

Julie Dugas

08/26/2003

thanks for everyone who has given my Ravishing Red Velvet cake a chance - I'm sorry to see that some of you did not enjoy your experience. i just thought that i would add a sidenote that i am located in south louisiana where it is extremely humid - perhaps this could be why some have found the cake to be a bit "dry". here in LA it is quite moist and delicious! perhaps an adjustment to baking time & temp would help for you guys? thanks again! julie Read More

Helpful

(91)

Most helpful critical review

thedailygourmet

04/29/2008

Both my husband and I love red velvet cake however I'm disappointed by the end results for this recipe. I'm puzzled why this recipe calls for butter extract and not vanilla extract. The frosting is okay -and perfectly acceptable on a carrot cake or spice cake but after years of reviewing red velvet cakes it is a fact that the only frosting that should even be used is a Butter roux frosting (similiar to a butter cream frosting but the butter roux frosting is a cooked frosting) I appreciate your sharing the recipe but I will not be making this cake ever again. Read More

Helpful

(67)

94 Ratings

5 star values: 52
4 star values: 18
3 star values: 13
2 star values: 6
1 star values: 5

Reviews: Most Helpful

Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

Julie Dugas

08/26/2003

Helpful

(91)

Julie Dugas

08/26/2003

Helpful

(91)

thedailygourmet

04/29/2008

Helpful

(67)

04/01/2006

I replaced the shortening and butter extract with 1 stick of butter and added vanilla extract to the cake mix. Very moist. Frosting is excellent. Read More

Helpful

(53)

DAISYXBELLE

11/08/2003

This was the best cake in the whole world. I followed the receipe exactly and watched my oven very very closely. I took this cake to my job which is a restuarant it was a huge success. Read More

Helpful

(43)

islandgirlejfan

10/12/2003

This cake is fantastic! I had used another Red Velvet cake recipe from my church cookbook for years but it always seemed to bake too dry. The only difference between this cake and the one I have is the added shortening and the butter flavoring but that was enough to really make a beautiful product! This is one of my families favorite desserts and this one will now become the recipe I use to make it:) A previous poster said to check the cake after 20 minutes and that is a good idea. Also if you have a gas oven I would bake it at 300 to 325. Read More

Helpful

(34)

MMJJ

02/12/2003

Thanks for such a great recipe! This was my first attempt at making a red velvet cake. This recipe resulted in a cake that was "off the hook". My family and I really enjoyed it. I will certainly use this recipe again! I made a few slight modifations such as using butter flavored shortening baking at 325 degrees (since I used dark colored round pans and I have a gas oven) and I increased the cooking time by an additional 10 minutes (total 40 minutes). I really love the sour cream frosting! Read More

Helpful

(22)

CDSTEW2

11/25/2005

I tried this recipe expecting a delicious homemade red velvet cake. Well the cake was red and that's about it. It was dry and void of flavor. I will not use this recipe again. Read More

Helpful

(17)

pennywham

11/08/2003

This cake came out so good!! I've never made a cake from "scratch" and was a little nervous because it was for a friend's birthday. I was the hit of the party. Thanks for the great recipe. Moist and delicious! Read More

Helpful

(13)

S_DARROUGH

03/30/2003

I found the cake to be quite costly and dry. I'm more interested in the moist mouth watering desserts. I did find the icing was delicious and I plan to use the recipe for the icing on another cake. That's what I get for not taking the time to pick a good recipe and just choosing the first one on the list. Read More

Helpful

(9)

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All Reviews for Ravishing Red Velvet Cake

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Nutritional Information

Ravishing Red Velvet Cake

Servings Per Recipe: 12
Calories: 579

% Daily Value *

total fat: 37 %

saturated fat:

cholesterol: 24 %

sodium: 18 %

potassium: 3 %

carbohydrates: 28 %

fiber: 4 %

sugar:

protein: 12 %

exchange other carbs:

vitamin a iu:

niacin equivalents:

vitamin b6:

vitamin c:

folate:

calcium:

iron:

magnesium:

thiamin:

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

Reviews for: Photos of Ravishing Red Velvet Cake

1 of 82

All Reviews

Julie Dugas

08/26/2003

Helpful

(91)

Julie Dugas

08/26/2003

Helpful

(91)

thedailygourmet

04/29/2008

Helpful

(67)

04/01/2006

I replaced the shortening and butter extract with 1 stick of butter and added vanilla extract to the cake mix. Very moist. Frosting is excellent.

Helpful

(53)

DAISYXBELLE

11/08/2003

This was the best cake in the whole world. I followed the receipe exactly and watched my oven very very closely. I took this cake to my job which is a restuarant it was a huge success.

Helpful

(43)

islandgirlejfan

10/12/2003

Helpful

(34)

MMJJ

02/12/2003

Helpful

(22)

CDSTEW2

11/25/2005

I tried this recipe expecting a delicious homemade red velvet cake. Well the cake was red and that's about it. It was dry and void of flavor. I will not use this recipe again.

Helpful

(17)

pennywham