Okay, so I have a confession to make: I never really “got” red velvet cake. I mean, I get that it’s bright and pretty. Beyond the color, though, it’s hard to pinpoint what makes it appealing to so many people. Because of my allergies to artificial dyes, I dug deeper into the history of red velvet—there had to be more to it than just a boatload of red food coloring—and discovered the genesis of this moist, lightly-flavored cake.
Before alkaline “Dutch processed” cocoa was widely available, cocoa powder naturally had a red tint, which became associated with this beloved cake. Artificial dye was eventually added to the recipe to enhance this red color. However, some bakers have been known to incorporate beets instead. Now, I can get down with beets! In this recipe, I use beet powder (ground dehydrated beets; see Resources on page 332 for purchasing information) and beet juice for color and moisture. But I do cheat a little, too, by using an all-natural red food coloring to pump up the red. Not only does this cake emerge from the oven with a luxurious maroon hue, but the flavor complexity is beyond comparison.
Classic Red Velvet Cake
Makes four 6-inch cake layers
- 1 tablespoon golden flaxseed meal
- 3 tablespoons warm water
- Dry Ingredients
- 1¾ cups | 300 grams Lael Cakes Gluten-Free Flour (page 11)
- 1 cup | 210 grams evaporated cane juice
- ¼ cup | 25 grams cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons beet powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- WET Ingredients
- 1½ cups | 356 ml beet juice
- ¾ cup | 180 ml safflower oil
- 3 tablespoons all-natural red food coloring
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (or ½ tablespoon organic vanilla extract or seeds of 1 vanilla bean)
- ½ teaspoon white rice vinegar
Preheat the oven
to 350°F.
Grease four
6-inch round cake pans (or other pans, see Note on page 73) by spreading non-hydrogenated palm
shortening with a pastry brush or spraying with coconut cooking
spray (available at your local health food store). Trace and cut
out four 6-inch circles of parchment paper and place on the bottom
of each greased pan.
In a small bowl,
combine the flaxseed meal and warm water. Set
aside.
In the bowl of a
standing mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the dry
ingredients. Mix on low speed until incorporated.
In a separate
bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Add the flaxseed meal
mixture.
With the mixer
on medium speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry
ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on
medium-high until all the ingredients are incorporated and the
batter is smooth, about 2 minutes.
Divide the
batter among the cake pans and smooth the tops with a flat spatula
or spoon.
Bake for about
20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in one of the cakes comes
out clean. If there is still batter on the toothpick, continue to
bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. (Baking times will vary depending
on your oven and the thickness and size of the cake
layers.)
Let the cakes
cool completely in the pans. Cover the pans tightly with plastic
wrap and refrigerate overnight. This will ensure the cakes set up
properly and be much easier to work with.