Ravishing Red Velvet Cake

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

This recipe was FABULOUS!! I had rave reviews. I did add the extra 1/2 cup of sugar, but other than that followed the recipe and it turned out wonderfully. I didn't sift the flour though, and it didn't seem to present a problem. The only other tip I have was that you HAVE to mix the 2nd part of ingredients in a separate bowl. I tried it out twice and the 1st time, I just added the vinegar, baking soda, ect to the already mixed ingredents and it started fizzing and popping like a science fair project. (I was trying to be quick and make less of a mess and wasn't thinking!) Anyway, it turned out good, but the 2nd time I made them they were even better! I took them to work and they were inhaled. They were very moist and the frosting recipe is a winner also, I will no longer buy store bought frosting!! Thanks for the great recipe, I am in IL, I am not sure why so many people had difficulties with this, it's AWESOME!!

This cake was very good! I don't see why there is so many bad reviews on it. It was wonderful to me. Maybe others are not making it right. I made it for a Ohio State game party b/c there colors are red and grey. Even though the cake was red and creamy white it still turned out great and everyone loved it.

I have been a professional cake baker and decorator for about 30 years now. I find that when people complain about their dry cakes, it's because they really are over baking them.. My aunt used to make choc. cake when I was a girl. I hated dry choc cake. After I learned not to over baken, they are great! Thanks for the recipe.

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.

I have made many Red Velvet Cakes and this one is as good as any I have made in the past. It is very moist and yummy. I might make more icing next time, but is very rich, so less is okay too. I went strictly by the recipe and had no problems.

i've only tasted the cake so far because i'm using a different frosting recipe, but i thought the cake was wonderful! it's not dry at all. i made them into cupcakes because i have 2 little ones and we're having company over tonight. i didn't want to bother with having to cut a cake. thanks for the recipe! i'll use it again!

Best Red Velvet cake if your a yankee then you may not like our southern style!! Julie i am from northeast louisiana and this is the same recipe i use with exception of extract i use vanilla. i got this recipe from a friends grandma!!

Red velvet is my husband's favorite. I made this recipe for his birthday and it he LOVED it. Now I make it all the time.

This is a good basic recipe; I'm from LA, but currently living in desert clime, so your location may make a difference in certain recipes---if you live in a dry climate, I suggest the following changes: reduce flour by 1/4 c, replace shortening with veg oil, and add two tsp vanilla extract. These changes may make this recipe a winner for you.

Great Cake. I am notorious for over baking and it was still pretty moist and delicious! Instead of buying buttermilk, I added a tbs of vinegar to regular milkas. It worked out great. Also, instead of getting butter flavor, I used butter flavored shortening.

I made this cake and it turned out beautifully. I didn't have any buttermilk on hand so had to use a buttermilk substitute but it still turned out wonderful!

This was very good and pretty. I made it for my boyfriend's birthday. He loved it! I used a bundt cake pan. Had to cook a little longer that way. A couple of people said it could be a little moister. The taste was GREAT! I added chopped pecans to the icing! Otherwise I didn't change anything. Everyone raved over this caked, especially the icing!

The cake came out absolutely wonderful. I used the suggestion of using 1 cup of oil and 2 cups of sugar. I also baked it at 300 for 40-45 minutes and it was super moist. The icing was delicious and also came out perfect. I can't wait to make it again.

No no no. This cake was not good. It was very dry and I only baked it at 350. It was very pasty tasting. Maybe it was me, but I won't make this again. Thanks for the opportunity!

First of all, I will start by saying I felt the icing was phenomenal. I added pecans and decorated the cake with pecans. The cake however was very dry and disappointing compared to many many red velvet cakes I've had in the past. It was very close to tasting like a box cake instead of from scratch. I even followed the suggestion of lowering the heat and that made no difference. I suggest that this recipe undergo some tweaking. Maybe add butter.. not sure. I must find a better recipe than this. Do not make cake if you are expecting moist red velvet cake! It was more like red gabardine!

The cake I made was dry. I even took it out of the oven a little early. Everyone I worked with loved it, they raved about the icing (thought it was store bought, Ha)

Great icing, but the rest is not a keeper. Good color, the flavor isnt good, and the cake is very heavy and dry. I read the other reviews that said it was dry and thought they just overcooked it. I realize now it is the recipe itself. Takes effort and time for a cake that isnt worth it. Try something else, but keep the icing portion.

I have never had a red velvet cake before in my life but I wanted to do something different and was very intruiged by this concept. While the cake went over very well with about 20 guests at a party, I didn't care for it. There was something very unpleasant about the texture and the taste (although I may just not be a "red velvet person"). I even used 3 Tbs of cocoa. I think I will try this again and follow some other reviewers' suggestions to use 1 c oil (instead of the 1/2 cup butter) and 2 c sugar. I have to say, it did make for a gorgeous presentation. Thanks.

I found this recipe easy to follow and it turned out wonderful. The cake was moist and had great texture. I didn't use as much red food coloring and had to use milk with vinegar in place of buttermilk. Making sure the flour is sifted may be the key to getting the right consistency. I would definitely recommend this recipe.

I searched for over an hour and read ALL the reviews of ALL the red velvet cakes on this site and a few others. I was very disappointed in the results. The cake was dry and tasteless. The icing was delicious, but not enough to make up for the cake itself. I guess I will have to try another red velvet recipe.

Okay, I have made it once before and was disappointed, tried it twice tonight and still no such luck. No matter if I take it out earlier or not, it's still a dry cake. Am I not doing something?

My kids are too picky to eat a red cake, but everyone else just loved it. The best Red Velvet cake I've ever had, and I'm come from a family of retail bakers!

I made this cake for my boyfriends birthday(it's his favorite). I was a little nervous because I had never made red velvet cake before, but it turned out very well. I only used one 9 inch pan. And the icing was wonderful, not too sweet, just right. Overall, it is a wonderful recipe and I will continue to use it.

Very dry and crumbly will not make again.

I don't underdstand the bad reviews for this cake! Everytime I've made it over the years since I first discovered it, it has been a hit, a SENSATION! Everybody knows to come to Dena when they want a red velvet cake!

Cake was okay, but I really think the frosting saved it!

I had never even heard of Red Velvet cake before until a friend asked for it for his birthday. I decided to try this one and it came out beauteous. I followed the recipe exactly and the cake was so pretty. I used the recipe for whipped cream cheese frosting instead and my friend was super happy about his birthday cake.

I agree with the other reviewers...the icing is good, but overall the cake was just blah. Mine turned out moist & very pleasing to the eye, but the flavor was lacking something.

My Grandmother, now 87, always made us a red velvet cake on our birthdays. She is now in poor health, so I made one for my brother for his birthday this month using this recipe. The only change I made was to add pecans to the icing. He said it was as good as Grandma's, which is quite a compliment!

when my friend and I baked this we were so excited after a failed attempt at another recipe. I am sorry to say that when we made it we found we either did it wrong or it called for too much flower. We chose #2. I suggest adding less flower. Other than that it was good.

will do again next time i will cook just 25 mins instead of 30 and after i make the frosting i will put it in the ice box (not the cake) and after the frosting is chilled then i will ice the cake thanks

Yummy as a cake or cupcakes (mine made 2 1/2 dozen plus one cupcake for a crumble using the 12 serving recipe & icing

I am going to try cake flour, it really make's a difference. I never thought it would but finally tried it on a different cake and it was wonderful I will let you know how it turn's out. I made it yesterday and it turned out wonderful.

This was my first cake ever from scratch, my experience with other peoples home made cakes had me very nervous because they come out very dry and I became very concerned when i started reading reviews after i had stuck my cake in the oven about how this recipe sometimes yields a dry cake. I made this as a mothers day cake and it actually came out Very Very moist it was a little thicker than i normally like my cakes preferably a more spongy texture but it was still quite tastey even my mother who can be pretty particular enjoyed it. I would use recipe again.

Great! I make it with green colouring because I am allergic to red. Gets some funny looks (from adults) at first, but it gets eaten right up! Great w/cream cheese frosting. Dye to match!

This is a wonderful cake! It is moist and delicious. It holds a place in my recipe box. Definitely a keeper.

I made the cake only for my daughter's confirmation. It was lovely with my white decorator's icing. I thought the cake was a little bit dry. I may have overbaked it just slightly, maybe five minutes less in the oven. It wasn't overly sweet with just a slight chocolate flavor. I'll definitely use this cake again. I want to try it as a cake roll with the frosting recipe included next time.

My attempt at this cake was a little dense, but it was still a great hit with the family.

I made this for my daughter's birthday cake. It was my first attempt at a homemade cake vs box cake. Everyone loved it. It was a little dry, but I think that was my fault. I checked it at 20 minutes and instead of 10 more, it should have only been 5 more minutes. I didn't have butter extract so I used butter flavored shortening. I would like to try again, keeping a better eye on time.

I gave this 3 stars, but only because of the icing. The cake came out dry and heavy. The icing however was very yummy. I used my mixer and beat it for about 10 minutes, it came out light and fluffy and tasted rich and creamy. I will look for a better cake recipe.

YUM!!!!

Not a bad recipe, just not quite as moist as I would have liked. This may be due to the fact that I used an 8" Heart shaped pan and the middle took longer to cook then I though it would. The frosting though was a keeper. Both the wife and I thought the butter cream taste was just right. Worth a try as it was not very hard at all to make.

I have never made a red velvet cake before, and I was really excited to make it for the first time.. However, this cake was very dry.. It tasted good, other than it being so dry. The icing was amazing! But it was too runny. I added more powdered sugar (about a cup or so) to it a little at a time until it was the right thickness, and it turned out perfect. I'll be using the recipe for the icing again, but not the cake. :-(

This cake was fantastic! The flavor was addictive and the cake was nice and moist. It was a big hit with everyone who tried it; this will definitely be one I make again.

I enjoyed making this cake. My family really liked it too. Hazel

This was very easy to do and it turned out delicous and MOIST!! I used butter flavored shortening and left out the butter extract. Then while the cakes were still warm I covered them with foil which held in moisture. Also keep a keep close on your time baking b/c every oven is different people. I don't know why everyone is having a hard time, this was Great!

I'm really not a baker, but I just had to try this recipe, and boy did I get compliments! Now I'll try something new in the oven. Thanks Lynne

This is a great cake, I've made it a few times and shared it with most of my friends and they all love it. On Valentines day it fits right in with its color, and other times i's just plaib good.

Oven temperatures vary widely. The cake was excellent & very moist. Those who try it should start testing it 5-7 minutes before the time called for. This one's definitely a keeper.

I made this cake yesterday for an office potluck. The batter appeared very dry so I added two egg whites and some veg oil. I also did not have butter extract so substituted with some real butter and left out some of the shortening. Everyone loved it but I still think that it was missing something, possibly the butter extract. I will make this again. The icing was excellent !!

Delicious cake! For those if you who didn't like it I don't think it was the recipe that was the problem but the chef.

I tried the Red Velvet Cake for the first time, and although the cream cheese icing was delicious, I thought the cake was a little dry and not a lot of flavor. I first baked it for 25 min and the middle was not done, but 30 seemed to dry it out. Thanks for the experience.

Made this for Chrissy & Bernie's engagement cake - nothing to rave about.

I loved the frosting, but my cake turned out heavy and blah. It may just be how this type of cake is supposed to be.

I make this cake all the time for my husband, son, and coworkers I do our christmas party every year. And the one thing I am always asked is am I making that red cake. This is about the 3rd recipe I have tried for this and it is by far the BEST.

Cake was ok but a bit dry. The frosting was great.

This was as good as "grandmas". After creaming the shorting and sugar I blended the remainder of the cake ingredients by hand and it was fabulous. Very moist. Perfect. I took it to a party at work and my coworkers all got a copy of the recipe.

great recipe

YUMMY! Turned out so wonderful my boyfriend and I loved this!

I would cook the cake for 25 minutes if using two 9" rounds. I cooked it for 30 and it was too dry.

I did the recipe by the T, and the cake didn't raise enough and it was hard.

I made this cake for the first time for my Christmas dinner. My family loved it. My mom said it was the best she had ever had. I will keep this one in my favorites for sure.

First attempt at a homemade cake. My son and family loved it. The icing was on point. Delicious. Thank you. I couldn't find butter extract so I substituted a stick of butter.

I make this at least three times a year for my husband, and he he loves it.

I love red velvet although am using my father's gmail to look for recipes to cook in school.iam 11 years old.

This turned out great! I didn't have cocoa powder so I improvised with a packet of chocolate pudding mix instead and it turned out well. Works great as cupcakes, and the icing is delicious!

I first made this cake 5 or 6 years ago for my daughter’s birthday. She has requested it every year since. It is very moist and the texture is perfect. The only changes I’ve made is that I use butter instead of shortening + flavoring, and I use dark cocoa powder. Thanks for the fabulous recipe.

Hello, I was using this recipe to show my class the importance of following a recipe! We havent tried it so once we do I will make my review official! Thanks.

I decided to make cupcakes instead of a whole cake. I didn’t use the butter extract I use a whole stick of butter, added 1 tsp vanilla extract, and added 2 tbsp vinegar to 1 cup of whole milk to replace the buttermilk they turned out excellent

This recipe was great. I am not sure why other people had issues with it being dry. The only change I made was substituting vanilla extract for the butter extract. I also made cupcakes out of this and cooked them for only 19 minutes.

It was good but it didn't raise very well. And it's heavy. Next time I will put in more baking powder. It could be me I haven't baked many cakes res

Yes.

This is a really good recipe, exactly what I was looking for! Thanks!

Moist cake, best frosting ever followed the recipe. Next time I may try butter instead of shortening to see which I prefer.