When my paternal grandfather, who was postmaster in a small town in Ohio in the ’60s, spotted a recipe for red velvet cake in a magazine at work, I doubt he had any idea that nearly 60 years later a version of that cake would have reached legendary status among family and anyone else who had the privilege of having a slice.
The spell cast by this cake never wears off — my dad says his cousins, who haven’t had the cake in years, still mention pining for a slice.
The secret to this stellar recipe lies in the frosting. Many associate red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, but Grandma’s version uses buttercream combined with a cooked milk and flour paste. This combination cuts the sweetness and enhances the creaminess.
Known as ermine, cooked, or heritage frosting, this was the original topping for red velvet cakes before the simpler cream cheese frosting became popular.
While the frosting always stole the show, the original cake recipe wasn’t always a favorite. (Don’t tell Grandma, but we often used a boxed cake mix and topped it with her homemade frosting—store-bought is fine after all!)
Last year, I set out to tweak the cake recipe and couldn’t be more thrilled with the result: a moist, tender, bright red sponge. I replaced shortening with butter for flavor, substituted some granulated sugar with brown sugar for moisture, added an extra egg, adjusted the baking powder and soda for better rise, and tweaked other ingredient amounts while staying true to the original recipe.
The final change? Doubling the frosting recipe to make a four-layer cake (I prefer the frosting-to-cake ratio) and to allow for sneaking tastes during assembly!
Grandma Pheifer’s Red Velvet Cake with Heritage Frosting
(2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
Loading…
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 1 8-inch cake 1x
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (74 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups (325 g) cake flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 ounce red liquid food coloring
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Kosher salt
Instructions
MAKE THE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together ½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1¼ cups granulated sugar, and ⅓ cup light brown sugar until thoroughly mixed, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add 3 large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a medium bowl, sift together 2½ cups cake flour, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.
- In a measuring cup, combine 1 cup buttermilk, 1 ounce red food coloring, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, and 2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, Mix until just incorporated.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer cakes to a wire rack and let them cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge and then transfer the cakes onto the rack and allow to cool completely.
MAKE THE FROSTING
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together 2/3 cup all-purpose flour and 2 cups whole milk, ensuring there are no lumps. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for 4 to 5 minutes, until very thick (a spoon dragged through the center should leave a clear trail). Transfer the mixture to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 2 cups unsalted butter and 2 cups granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and the cooled flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated and smooth.
ASSEMBLE CAKE
- If the cakes have domed, trim the tops to level them, and reserve the scraps to crumble over the finished cake.
- Once the cakes are completely cool, use a long, serrated knife to slice each cake in half horizontally, creating four even layers.
- Spread a small dollop of frosting in the center of a cake stand and place your first layer on top. Add ¾ to 1 cup of frosting and spread it evenly to the edges. Repeat with the remaining layers, using the same amount of frosting between each one.
- Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides. If you’re concerned about crumbs in the frosting, apply a crumb coat (a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake), refrigerate for 15 minutes, and then apply a thicker final layer of frosting.
- The cake can be stored at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. If you do refrigerate it, make sure you allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Keep your cake stand clean: I learned this one from Ina — tuck overlapping triangles of parchment or wax paper under the edges of the cake to cover the stand. Once frosted, remove the paper, and you’re left with a clean stand!
- Secret to success: Make sure the flour-and-milk mixture is completely cool before making the frosting. If it’s still warm, it can melt the butter and ruin the texture.
- Photo finish: To ensure a smooth finish, warm an offset spatula under hot water and run over the surface of the frosting (repeatedly warming the spatula as necessary.) The spatula is just warm enough to melt a bit of the frosting resulting in a smoother look.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Cake
MORE RECIPES CAN BE FOUND HERE.
