Recipes, Sweets

Red Velvet American Beauty Cake

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Red Velvet Cake is a classic All-American dessert known for its striking red color and rich flavor. This version uses a traditional Ermine Frosting, which has a soft, creamy texture that pairs perfectly with the tender bright red cake layers. It’s an impressive layer cake that we like to make for birthdays, holidays, or any special occasion when you want to really wow your guests.

If you enjoy rich, decadent cakes, you might also like my St Louis Gooey Butter Cake or this Rich Fudge Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

In the Midwest community I grew up in, Red Velvet Cake was a popular dessert, and two women were known for their beautiful red cakes:  Margaret Rieckenberg and Violet Ebers.  Everyone had one of those women’s cake recipes or both. 

In the part of Illinois where I grew up, Red Velvet cake did not have the cream cheese frosting that is usually included with a Red Velvet Cake in Texas where I live now.  The frosting for these cakes was a cooked frosting which is usually referred to as Ermine Frosting.  This frosting is very rich and has a very unique flavor and soft, smooth texture.  It can take a little practice to perfect, but it’s worth the trouble. 

I learned recently to help ensure a successful frosting, cook the sugar with the flour and milk, rather than adding it with the shortening later.  The texture will be much less grainy, and there is less chance of the frosting curdling.  This is a beautiful red color and is as beautiful as it is delicious.  Oh!  And in case you want to know whose recipe I use – the answer is both.  The cake is from Margaret Rieckenberg and the frosting is from Violet Ebers!

a slice of red velvet cake with Ermine Frosting on a small porcelain plate.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Rich Tradition: A cake with deep roots in Midwest baking culture.
  • The Frosting: Our homemade Ermine frosting is velvety smooth and perfectly sweet.
  • Show-Stopper: The vibrant red color makes this cake a showstopper for any occasion.

Ingredients Needed

  • Shortening or Unsalted Butter: Use either for a rich, tender cake.
  • Sugar: Granulated sugar works best.
  • Eggs: Room-temperature eggs mix more smoothly into the batter.
  • Vanilla Extract: Use a high-quality product, Almond extract can be substituted for a festive touch.
  • Buttermilk: If unavailable, you can mix regular milk with vinegar or lemon juice and let sit for 10 minutes to create a buttermilk substitute.
  • Flour: Sift it to avoid lumps; substitute with gluten-free flour blend if necessary.
  • Salt: Adjust to taste, especially if using salted butter.
  • Cocoa Powder: Ensure it’s unsweetened.
  • Baking Soda: Essential for helping the cake rise properly.
  • Red Food Coloring: You can use organic food coloring. It can be omitted if you prefer a natural, non-red cake but it won’t be that pretty.
  • Lemon Juice: It is used along with the baking soda so the reaction creates more leavening, making the cake fluffier. 
  • Milk: Use any dairy-free alternative like almond or oat milk if needed.
  • Butter: Dairy-free margarine works as a substitute; whip until fluffy for smooth frosting.
  • Pinch of Salt: Enhances flavor and balances sweetness.

How to Make This Red Velvet American Beauty Cake

This classic Red Velvet Cake is full of vibrant color and topped with a creamy, fluffy frosting. For the full printable recipe, check out the recipe card at the end of this post.

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 8-inch cake pans.
  2. In a mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat for 1 minute.
  3. Add vanilla to buttermilk.
  4. Sift together flour, salt, cocoa, and baking soda.
  5. Add buttermilk and flour mixture alternately to the shortening, ending with the flour mixture. Mix to blend completely.
  6. Add lemon juice and food coloring and mix well.
  7. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and spread evenly in each.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cake tester inserted in the cake comes out with just a few crumbs. Do not overbake
  1. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
  2. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a saucepan, whisk together the flour and sugar. Slowly add milk and whisk until smooth.
  3. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
  4. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add the cooled flour mixture and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. It may appear curdled at first, but continue beating until smooth.
  1. Frost the cooled cakes. Place one layer on a serving plate and spread with frosting. Top with the second layer and frost the top and sides.

Helpful Tips

  • Even Layers: Use a kitchen scale to ensure equal amounts of batter in each pan.
  • Cool the Frosting Base: Make sure the milk mixture is fully cooled before adding it to the butter to prevent the frosting from curdling.
  • Don’t Overmix: After adding the flour to the batter, mix just until the batter comes together to avoid a dense cake.

Storage Information

Refrigerator: You can store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezer: You can freeze the unfrosted cake layers for up to 2 months. Make sure to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.

Make Ahead: The frosting can be made a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator. You will want to bring it to room temperature and re-whip before frosting the cake.

Serving Suggestions

  • We like to serve it with a dollop of whipped cream for added richness.
  • A hot cup of coffee or tea makes the perfect pairing for this cake.
  • For a festive touch, sprinkle some crushed pecans or some toasted shredded coconut on top of the frosting.
a fork taking a piece of red velvet cake with ermine frosting.

Variations

  • Chocolate Lovers: Reduce the amount of frosting slightly and add a layer of chocolate ganache between the cake layers.
  • Fruity: Add some fresh raspberries. You can use them to decorate the cake or even add some to the middle layer of the cake.
  • Nutty Addition: Fold in some chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter for some added crunch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the cake without red food coloring?

Yes, you can leave it out, but the cake will not have the signature red color. The flavor and texture will remain the same. If you want to use an all-natural food coloring, try natural food dyes like concentrated beet juice or beetroot powder.

Can I frost this cake with a cream cheese frosting instead?

Yes! If you prefer tangier frosting, cream cheese frosting is a great alternative. Use our recipe which you can find in the recipe card of our Rich Fudge Cake.

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

Yes, you can work ahead and bake the cake layers up to 2 days in advance. Just store them in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to frost (see our storage information above).

a fork with a bite of red velvet cake held over a green and white plate.

More Cake Recipes to Try

Red Velvet American Beauty Cake

Recipe by Pennie Saadallah
Servings

12

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Calories

286

kcal
Total time

1

hour 

Red Velvet Cake is a classic All-American dessert known for its striking red color and rich flavor. This version uses a traditional Ermine Frosting, which has a soft, creamy texture that pairs perfectly with the tender bright red cake layers. It’s an impressive layer cake we like to make for birthdays, holidays, or any special occasion when you want to really wow your guests.

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Ingredients

  • Cake
  • 1/2 cup shortening

  • 1 1/2 cup sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 3 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1 cup buttermilk

  • 2 1/4 cups sifted flour

  • 3/4 tsp salt

  • 2 tsp cocoa

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • 1/4 cup red food coloring

  • 1 tsp lemon juice

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 4 tbsp flour

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened

  • 2 tsp vanilla

  • pinch salt

Directions

  • Cake
  • Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 8-inch cake pans.
  • In a mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugar until light and flufffy. Add eggs and beat for 1 minute.
  • Add vanilla to buttermilk.
  • Sift together flour, salt, cocoa and baking soda.
  • Add buttermilk and flour mixture alternately to the shortening, ending with the flour mixture. Mix to blend completely.
  • Add lemon juice and food coloring and mix well.
  • Divide batter between the two prepared pans and spread evenly in each.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake tester inserted in cake comes out with just a few crumbs. Do not overbake
  • Remove cake pans from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pan and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Frosting
  • In a medium saucepan, whisk together the flour and sugar. Add milk and whisk until smooth.
  • Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes thick (coating the back of a spoon).
  • Remove from heat and cool completely.
  • In a mixing bowl, whip shortening with vanilla until fluffy. Add cooled flour mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Mixture may look curdled at first but should become smooth as it continues to mix.
  • Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread frosting over layer. Top with 2nd cake layer. Spread remaining frosting on sides and top of cake and decorate as desired.

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