How to Make Cakeman Raven Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Cakeman Raven Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Red Velvet Cake is a timeless delight, and when it comes to mastering this iconic treat, few recipes rival the renowned Cakeman Raven Red Velvet Cake. Combining velvety texture with a hint of cocoa and a rich cream cheese frosting, this beloved dessert has captured the hearts and taste buds of many.
From New York famous to our own home kitchens, Cakeman Raven’s red velvet recipe is legend for a reason. Take one bite and you’ll see why!
Indulge in the velvety goodness of Cakeman Raven Red Velvet Cake – a timeless classic!
Ingredients
Every ingredient in this recipe plays a crucial role in achieving the signature taste and texture of a classic red velvet cake. Here’s what you need to know about each one.
- All-Purpose Flour: Serves as the base ingredient, providing structure to the cake while ensuring a tender crumb.
- Sugar: Sweetens the cake and contributes to its moistness by attracting and retaining moisture during baking.
- Baking Soda: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cake rise by producing carbon dioxide bubbles when combined with acidic ingredients.
- Cocoa Powder: Infuses the cake with a subtle hint of chocolate flavor, complementing the rich red hue.
- Vegetable Oil: Provides moisture to the cake, resulting in a soft and tender texture.
- Buttermilk: Contributes to the cake’s tenderness and adds the signature tanginess to the flavor profile.
- Eggs: Act as a binding agent, helping to hold the ingredients together while also providing structure and moisture to the cake.
- Red Food Coloring: Gives the cake its iconic vibrant red color, creating visual appeal.
- White Distilled Vinegar: Reacts with the baking soda to further leaven the cake while also enhancing its flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds depth of flavor and enhances the overall aroma of the cake.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese: Forms the base of the frosting, lending a creamy and tangy flavor.
- Butter: Adds richness and smoothness to the frosting while balancing the tanginess of the cream cheese.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the frosting and provides structure, ensuring a smooth and spreadable consistency.
- Crushed Pecans: Adds a delightful crunch and nutty flavor to the finished cake, providing contrast to the creamy frosting. Optional!
Master the art of baking with our step-by-step guide to Cakeman Raven Red Velvet Cake.
Who is Cakeman Raven?
Cakeman Raven, whose full name is Kenneth Ravenell, is a renowned baker who was based in Harlem, New York City.
He gained fame for his delectable desserts, particularly his Red Velvet Cake, which became his signature creation. Cakeman Raven’s Red Velvet Cake gained widespread acclaim and attracted a loyal following due to its exceptional taste and texture.
Ravenell’s talent and passion for baking earned him recognition as a prominent figure in the culinary world, especially within the Harlem community where his bakery was located. His dedication to his craft and the quality of his cakes left a lasting impression on those who had the pleasure of tasting his creations.
Unlock the secrets to baking perfection with our Cakeman Raven Red Velvet Cake recipe.
What’s the Deal with Red Velvet Cake?
Is red velvet cake just dyed chocolate cake?
While red velvet cake and chocolate cake share some similarities, they are not the same. Red velvet cake has a distinct flavor profile and texture that sets it apart from traditional chocolate cake.
Here are some key differences:
- Flavor: Red velvet cake has a subtle cocoa flavor, but it is typically less intense than chocolate cake. It often contains buttermilk and vinegar, which contribute to its slightly tangy taste. Additionally, red velvet cake usually includes vanilla extract, which adds another layer of flavor complexity.
- Texture: Red velvet cake is known for its moist and tender crumb. It is often lighter and fluffier than chocolate cake, which tends to be denser. The addition of buttermilk and vinegar in red velvet cake helps to create its characteristic texture.
- Color: While red velvet cake is often associated with its vibrant red color, not all recipes call for a significant amount of food coloring. Some versions may rely on natural ingredients such as beetroot powder to achieve a reddish hue. However, the red color is a defining characteristic of red velvet cake and sets it apart visually from chocolate cake.
- Frosting: Red velvet cake is commonly paired with cream cheese frosting, which complements its flavor profile perfectly. In contrast, chocolate cake is often paired with chocolate frosting or ganache.
Experience the perfect blend of cocoa and cream cheese in Cakeman Raven Red Velvet Cake
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you put vinegar in a red velvet cake?
Vinegar is a key ingredient in red velvet cake because it reacts with baking soda to create carbon dioxide gas. This reaction helps the cake rise and develop its characteristic light and fluffy texture. Additionally, the acidity from the vinegar contributes to the overall flavor profile of the cake, enhancing its tanginess and balance.
The combination of vinegar and baking soda serves as a chemical leavening agent in red velvet cake, similar to the role of yeast in bread. This chemical reaction produces bubbles of carbon dioxide throughout the batter, which expand during baking, causing the cake to rise and become airy.
But those are things that would happen if you put vinegar in any cake. Here’s where it really shines in a red velvet cake recipe:
Apart from its leavening properties, vinegar also reacts with the anthocyanin compounds in cocoa powder, intensifying the red color of the cake. This reaction enhances the vibrant red hue that is characteristic of red velvet cake.
Cool, right?
Impress your guests with the rich flavor and stunning presentation of Cakeman Raven Red Velvet Cake.
What filling goes well with Red Velvet Cake?
Red velvet cake pairs well with a variety of fillings that complement its flavor profile and add an extra layer of richness and moisture. Some popular filling options for red velvet cake include:
- Cream Cheese Frosting: This classic choice is often used both as a frosting and a filling for red velvet cake. Its creamy texture and tangy flavor perfectly complement the subtle cocoa notes of the cake.
- Whipped Cream: Light and airy whipped cream can serve as a delightful filling for red velvet cake, adding a fluffy texture and a hint of sweetness. Tip: add two tablespoons of pudding mix to your regular whipped cream recipe to stabilize it enough for filling a cake.
- Raspberry or Strawberry Jam: The tartness of raspberry or strawberry jam contrasts beautifully with the sweetness of red velvet cake, adding a burst of fruity flavor.
- Chocolate Ganache: For those who love chocolate, a layer of smooth and rich chocolate ganache can take red velvet cake to the next level, adding depth and decadence.
- White Chocolate Buttercream: A simple vanilla or white chocolate buttercream filling adds sweetness and creaminess to the cake without overpowering its subtle cocoa flavor. This one is a personal favorite, and you can find my recipe for White Chocolate Buttercream on the Dixie Crystals website.
Unlock the secrets to baking perfection with our Cake Man Raven Red Velvet Cake recipe.
More Cake Recipes on Keat’s Eats
Our Favorite Amazon Finds for This Recipe
For making this Cakeman Raven red velvet cake recipe, there are several essential kitchen supplies that you’ll thank yourself for having on hand. Here’s a list of key items that you can conveniently purchase on Amazon:
- Mixing Bowls: A set of mixing bowls in various sizes will be handy for combining and mixing ingredients. We love durable and dishwasher-safe options like this Anchor Hocking Batter Bowl. Bonus points because it comes with a lid!
- Electric Mixer: An electric hand mixer or stand mixer will make the mixing process much easier and faster. Our preference is this cordless hand mixer from KitchenAid.
- 8-inch Parchment Rounds: These gems ensure easy removal of the cake layers from the pans and helps prevent sticking. You can typically find pre-cut 8-inch parchment rounds in a pack of 100 to 250 pieces– which sounds like a TON, but they are very thin and don’t take up much room to store.
- Offset Spatula: An offset spatula is helpful for spreading frosting and smoothing the surface of the cake layers. The Ateco Offset Spatula Set includes multiple sizes for different tasks.
- Cake Turntable: While not essential, a cake turntable can make frosting your cake much easier. I love this one from Ateco. The Kootek Aluminum Alloy Revolving Cake Stand is a more budget-friendly option and has a ton of great reviews!
Celebrate any occasion in style with the show-stopping elegance of Cakeman Raven Red Velvet Cake.
Cake Man Raven Red Velvet Cake
Master the art of baking with our step-by-step guide to Cakeman Raven Red Velvet Cake!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Crushed pecans, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Using an electric mixer, whisk together the buttermilk and oil. Mix in the eggs one at a time, and then mix in the food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla extract.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet just until a batter forms.
- Lightly grease 2 8-inch round baking tins. Lay a strip of parchment paper down to help remove the baked cakes more easily.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Make the frosting: whisk together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing well in between each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cake and garnish with pecans.
Notes
Two ingredients heavily contribute to making this cake so moist: the oil and the buttermilk.
Buttermilk tenderizes the gluten and makes the cake extra soft. The all-oil-no-butter approach ensures that this cake is the moistest of them all-- and stays that way days and days after baking it! Using all oil also helps these cakes to bake nice and even (there's less "puffing up" going on since you can't aerate oil the same way you can butter or shortening) so you don't have to cut off any domes to stack the cakes nicely on top of each other.
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