After learning about the South and their food I have to wonder if this was originally an African recipe of sorts or a creation by African slaves. I never knew it was a Southern recipe until I watched Steel Magnolias and the groom's cake (a southern tradition) was an armadillo red velvet cake.
I love red velvet cake and made one not too long ago. Here's a link to the recipe and here's a photo of the mostly enjoyed cake:
http://www.chow.com/recipes/29310-red-velvet-cake
Mmm I want to make this. I heard of using beets in cake to make it more moist so I will definitely have to attempt to make it with beets!
ReplyDeleteRed velvet cake is one of my favorite desserts! Not only do I order every chance I get, but my grandma makes it for many of our family events! Most of my grandma's recipes are passed down from German relatives, so I was very surprised to read your post and learn that red velvet cake started in the south. I think it's great you were able to take information from class and connect it to a food many of us enjoy but aren't aware of its history!
ReplyDeleteMy father is a baker. He makes red velvet cake on a regular basis and always uses beets.
ReplyDeleteHere is a little bit more on the history of the cake. This is taken from wikipedia...
When foods were rationed during World War II, bakers used boiled beetroots juices to enhance the color of their cakes. Boiled beetroot or beets as they are known in America, are found in some red velvet cake recipes, where they also serve to retain moisture. Adams Extract, a Texan company, is credited for bringing the red velvet cake to kitchens across America during the time of the Great Depression by being one of the first to sell red food coloring and other flavor extracts with the use of point-of-sale posters and tear-off recipe cards.[4][5] The cake and its original recipe, however, are well known in the United States from New York City's famous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. However, it is widely considered a Southern recipe.[3] Traditionally, the cake is iced with a French-style butter roux icing (also called ermine icing), which is very light and fluffy but time-consuming to prepare. Cream cheese frosting and buttercream frosting are variations which have increased in popularity. Beetroot or beets are not used in the Southern version of the red velvet recipe.