A Quest for the Authentic Traditional Red Velvet Cake Recipe

There's a certain magic to discovering a truly authentic Traditional Red Velvet Cake Recipe, a magic that takes you back to Grandma's kitchen, where the scent of baking filled the air. These rich, spectacular dessert cakes, famous for their delicate chocolate flavor and fluffy, white-as-snow icing, hold a special secret. The real show begins when you slice into one, revealing an interior of the most unexpected, beautiful deep-red color!

My journey to find the perfect vintage recipe began as I was rummaging through Grandma's cherished collection of old-fashioned cookbooks. I was hoping to unearth a version from the early 1900s, something to stand apart from the modern recipes found on most food blogs today. But, after hours of searching, I came up short, finding no mention of "Red Velvet Cake" before 1920.

However, my quest wasn't in vain! I did manage to find a fascinating 1920 recipe for an old-fashioned "Philadelphia Red Cake" that produces a chocolate cake bearing a striking similarity to its famous crimson cousin. Could this be the true forerunner of the red velvet cake we know and love? Join me as we explore this piece of baking history, adapt it for the modern kitchen, and share another of Grandma's treasured red velvet recipes.

1920s Philadelphia Red Cake Recipe: A Velvet Forerunner?

The Perry Home Cook Book (1920)

Vintage Red Velvet Cake RecipeBake a Vintage Red Velvet Cake
(Source: ©mantonino/Depositphotos.com)

While rummaging through Grandma's collection of old fashioned cookbooks, I could not find any mention of a vintage red velvet cake recipe before 1920. Not a single one!

I was hoping to include an early recipe in keeping with the historical theme of this site, since most of today's food blogs feature only modern red velvet cakes. But, I came up short.

HOWEVER, I did manage to find a recipe for an old fashioned Philadelphia Red Cake that produces a chocolate cake bearing a striking similarity to the famous red velvet cake. Could it be the forerunner of the traditional red velvet cake recipe? Try it and see.

The original 1920 recipe is given below followed by my tips for adapting it to produce a traditional red velvet cake.

Philadelphia Red Cake

This recipe is a true piece of culinary history. As the potential ancestor to our modern red velvet cake, it has a lighter texture and a more pronounced chocolate flavor. Baking this cake feels like being a detective, uncovering the delicious origins of a classic dessert.

Cream 1-1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup butter; add-beaten yolks of 3 eggs, 1/2 cup sour milk, 1-1/2 cups flour.

Dissolve 2 squares of chocolate in 1-1/2 cups boiling water; add 1 teaspoon soda to chocolate. Let cool; add to cake batter; lastly, fold in well-beaten whites of 3 eggs. Add to it red coloring [2 ounces]. Flavor with vanilla. [Bake cake in moderate 350°F oven until it tests done.] —Ida Repstine

Adapting the 1920s Recipe for a Modern Red Velvet Cake

The Philadelphia red cake recipe as given above makes a delicious cake on its own, but if you want to adapt it to more closely resemble a traditional red velvet cake recipe, here's what you do:

Ingredient Changes:

Reduce the boiling water called for to 1/2 cup and increase the sour milk to 1 cup, to make a richer batter. Also add 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt to the ingredient list.

Instruction Changes:

Cream 1-1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup butter; add-beaten yolks of 3 eggs, 1 cup sour milk, 1-1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt.

Dissolve 2 squares of chocolate in 1/2 cup boiling water; add 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon vinegar to chocolate. Let cool; add to cake batter along with 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring; lastly, fold in well-beaten whites of 3 eggs. Add to it 2 ounces red coloring.

The batter fills two round, 8-inch cake pans. Bake cake in moderate 350°F oven about 20 to 30 minutes, until it tests done. White Icing is traditionally called for on red velvet cakes as white provides an eye-catching contrast to the deep-redness of the cake.

Detailed tips for this adaptation are given below!

Grandma's Red Velvet Cake Success Tips

Over the years, I've learned a few of Grandma's secrets for making the perfect red velvet cake every time. Here are some of her most valuable tips and tricks, gathered from scribbled notes in her cookbook margins.

  • The Secret to a Rich Batter: "Cream" the 1-1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup butter until the mixture is almost doughy in texture. Don't skimp on this step; it makes all the difference. It also helps if the butter is quite soft when you begin.
  • Sour Milk vs Buttermilk: The adapted recipe calls for 1 cup sour milk. You can make your own sour milk by stirring 1 teaspoon of white vinegar into 1 cup of regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes. However, I find that substituting 1 cup buttermilk gives the cake a superior flavor and tender crumb.
  • Getting That Perfect Red: The original recipes simply say "add red coloring." To get that iconic deep red velvet, you'll need about 2 ounces of liquid red food coloring. It seems like a lot, but a lesser amount won't be as vibrant.
  • The "Fizz" is Normal: When you add 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon vinegar to the melted chocolate mixture, it will foam and fizz. This is a normal chemical reaction that helps give the cake its lift and tender texture. Let it cool before adding it to the main batter.
  • Don't Overbake! This is the number one cause of a dry cake. Bake for the recommended time, but start checking a few minutes early! Your cake is done when a toothpick or wire tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, not perfectly clean.
  • Grandma's Layer-Splitting Trick: To turn two cake layers into four thin ones, Grandma used this clever method. Once the cakes are completely cool, place a long piece of strong thread (or unflavored dental floss) around the cake's middle. Cross the ends and pull them firmly and steadily in opposite directions. The thread will slice cleanly through the cake, creating a perfect, even layer!

Traditional Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Mom's Recipe Scrapbooks (c. 1920s)

Grandma's Red Velvet Pound Cake

This is the recipe that truly feels like home. Unlike lighter layer cakes, this version is a dense, buttery, and incredibly rich pound cake that was Grandma's go-to for birthdays and special occasions. It’s a true attention getter that slices beautifully and holds its moisture for days.

2 sticks (1 cup) butter
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ounces red food coloring
3 cups white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and food coloring. Mix well. Mix alternatively with this mixture the flour and milk, ending with flour.

Bake in tube pan for 1-1/4 hours. Begin in cold oven. Bake at 325°F. Ice with snowy white icing. —Ruth Clayton

Classic Snowy White Icing

A true red velvet cake deserves a truly traditional icing. While cream cheese frosting is popular today, this classic Snowy White Icing is what Grandma always used. It's a light, fluffy, marshmallow-like boiled frosting that provides the perfect sweet contrast without overpowering the cake's delicate chocolate flavor.

1 egg white, unbeaten
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine egg white, sugar, salt, water, and corn syrup in top of double boiler. Beat about 1 minute, or until blended.

Cook over rapidly boiling water, beating constantly for about 4 minutes, or until frosting will stand in stiff peaks.

Remove from boiling water. Add Vanilla flavoring and beat for 1 minute, or until frosting is thick enough to spread on cake.

The Mysterious History of the Traditional Red Velvet Cake Recipe

The actual history of red velvet cakes remains unknown, but this unusual cake has long been a favorite in the American South.

A popular urban legend links its origin to New York's famous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, but it cannot be substantiated, and the hotel persistently denies the alleged connection.

Some food historians think these unusual cakes might have originated as a devil's food cake. Chocolate Devil's Food Cake Recipes became very popular in the early 1900s. It's said that a chemical reaction between acids in sour milk and coca powders and the alkaline base in old fashioned baking sodas gave the cake batter its distinctively reddish tinge. Some cooks enhanced and encouraged this phenomenon by adding a generous amount of cochineal (red) food coloring.

One thing that IS known, everybody loves these chocolatey red dessert cakes. They are most popular for serving on special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries. Make the traditional red velvet cake recipe tonight and delight your family with a classic dessert cake.

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