What Is Red Velvet Cake—And Why Is It Red?

This cake is definitely not actually velvet, but it is most definitely red. So what is red velvet cake, really? And what flavor is red velvet cake, since red could be due to—or represent—so many things?

In the past, we’ve cut to the chase and shared how to make red velvet cake. We also have ample options for red velvet dessert recipes that think outside the cake mix box. So we figured it was about time to finally answer some common questions related to the popular and eye-catching dessert. 

Read on to brush up on what’s in red velvet cake, what it tastes like, and how it differs from other kinds of cake (beyond that punchy pigment).

What Is Red Velvet Cake, Exactly? A Red Velvet Cake History Lesson

Let’s start with the “velvet” part. Just like pound cake, sponge cake, and angel food cake all have different techniques and components that make them stand out from their cake competition, so too do velvet cakes. During the Victorian era (circa 1820 to 1900), bakers began deeming cakes “velvet cakes” when they were made with ingredients and techniques that resulted in a fine crumb and a soft, smooth, and lofty texture. Almond flour, cocoa powder, and cornstarch were common components of velvet cakes, as was vinegar, which was used to tenderize cakes before cake flour existed.

Around this time, bakers noticed that if they blended acidic ingredients—such as vinegar or buttermilk—with the most common cocoa available at markets—non-Dutch processed cocoa—a recipe would naturally turn slightly reddish in color. When the antioxidant called anthocyanins in raw cocoa powder reacts with anything acidic, it turns dark reddish-brown due to the change in pH. 

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In the dessert world, this was initially called a “mahogany cake.” It delivered a light chocolate flavor and appeared red-brown due to the chemical reaction between baking soda, buttermilk, vinegar, and raw cocoa powder.

A mahogany cake was similar to a devil’s food cake or chocolate cake, but the latter was made with chocolate or a mix of chocolate and cocoa powder instead of all cocoa powder. In the early 1900s, it’s believed that a combination of a mahogany cake and a devil’s food cake was first billed as a velvet cocoa cake. 

Since cocoa powder was cheaper than chocolate, velvet cocoa cake was a more budget-friendly option; perfect timing to come in clutch during the depression. This relatively new dessert idea really made a splash during those tough financial times, thanks to its affordability compared to other baked goods due to the fact that it works well with cocoa powder and sour milk. 

As more bakers started asking, “what is velvet cocoa cake?” and getting the answer from their friends, family members, and neighbors, word spread about this unique treat.

A chic New York City hotel, the Waldorf-Astoria, added what they called “red velvet cake” to their hotel restaurant menu in the 1930s. Seemingly simultaneously, Eaton’s Department Store, in Canada also started selling the dessert. Both have attempted to lay claim to red velvet cake, but it's clear the recipe was swirling around in home kitchens for years prior to their menu additions.

In the late 1930s, Adams Extract Co. took advantage of a FDA color additives regulation change and began to manufacture red food dye. To market this product, they sold it with a recipe card for a red velvet cake made with food coloring instead of relying on raw cocoa’s mahogany color. The vivid red stood out against the stark-white frosting the brand recommended pairing with their thoroughly-modern red velvet cake.

This was good timing, as more and more cocoa powder manufacturers started transitioning to sell Dutch-processed cocoa powder. This kind of cocoa is treated with an alkalizing agent that balances out the acidity, so it wouldn’t pack the same mahogany-inducing powers. 

These days, red velvet cake is often made with Dutch-processed cocoa powder, butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking soda, buttermilk, vinegar, and red food coloring. Creative home cooks have also whipped up variations with beet juice, beet powder, pomegranate powder, or cranberry powder for a natural food dye alternative. The result is—like the original red velvet recipe—less vibrant than the fire engine red cake you’ll get with dye. It might taste different, too, but it will be delicious in its own right…especially once you crown it with cream cheese frosting or buttercream frosting.

Related: How to Make Sure Your Cake Always Comes Out Moist 

What Flavor Is Red Velvet Cake?

If you’re wondering, “what flavor is red velvet cake?” it’s not just a chocolate cake batter spiked with red food coloring. 

Due to the fact that it uses cocoa powder rather than chocolate, red velvet cake is more subtle in chocolate flavor than a chocolate cake. In terms of the cocoa flavor concentration, we like to think of red velvet cake as somewhere between a vanilla/white cake and a chocolate cake. That being said, if you’d like to amp up the chocolate notes, here’s how to substitute chocolate pieces for cocoa powder in any recipe.

How Is Red Velvet Cake Different From Chocolate Cake?

Remember what red velvet cake is made of? The real differentiating factors between the typical chocolate cake and red velvet cake are due to the addition of buttermilk and vinegar. These acidic red velvet cake ingredients offer a pleasant amount of tartness, which balances out the sweetness and floral qualities of the vanilla as well as the decadent sweet and buttery frosting. 

Related: The Best Buttermilk Substitutes to Save Your Recipes

Buttermilk and vinegar also impact the texture. Chocolate cake is usually dense and moist. Red velvet cake has a much lighter and softer crumb, since the acidic elements bake up into a softer finished product.

Now that you have the answer to “what is red velvet cake?” and are well-versed in the history and the ingredients required to bring your own beautiful rendition to life, you’re all set to preheat your oven and start mixing up your own cake from scratch. Before you dive in, don’t miss our recap about how to bake cakes evenly every single time so your red velvet cake is just as easy to stack and frost as it is to enjoy.