When my paternal grandfather, the postmaster in a small town in Ohio in the ‘60s, spotted a red velvet cake recipe in a magazine at work, I doubt he imagined that nearly 60 years later it would have reached legendary status among our 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 really lies in the frosting. Instead of cream cheese frosting, Grandma’s version uses a buttercream made with a cooked flour-and-milk paste. Known as ermine, cooked, or heritage frosting, it’s less sweet, oh so creamy, and was actually the original topping for red velvet cake.
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!)
A few years ago, I reworked the cake itself, replacing the shortening with butter, adding oil and brown sugar for moisture, and adjusting the eggs and leaveners. The result is a moist, tender, bright-red cake that still stays true to the original.
The biggest update this time around is how I make the frosting. I recently came across a similar King Arthur recipe that cooks the sugar directly with the flour-and-milk mixture. It was the perfect solution for the occasional grittiness I encountered in the frosting if serving right away.
I also double the frosting to turn two cake layers into four because I prefer a very generous frosting-to-cake ratio, with a little extra for snacking. If you’re keeping it to two layers, I’d still make three-quarters of the frosting recipe. Trust me, the original amount isn’t enough.
Grandma Pheifer’s Red Velvet Cake with Ermine (Heritage) Frosting
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 1 8-inch cake 1x
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 1/2 cups (325 g) cake flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup (230 g) buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) red liquid food coloring
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (107 g) 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
For the frosting:
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Instructions
MAKE THE CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2½ cups cake flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.
- In a measuring cup, combine 1 cup buttermilk, 2 tablespoons red food coloring, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat ½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1¼ cups granulated sugar, and ⅓ cup light brown sugar on medium speed until thoroughly combined and lighter in color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add 3 large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in two additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stop when a few streaks of flour remain and finish folding by hand.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges, then invert the cakes onto the racks. Remove the parchment and carefully turn the cakes right side up. Let cool completely, 1½ to 2 hours.
MAKE THE FROSTING
- While the cakes cool, whisk 2/3 cup all-purpose flour and 2 cups granulated sugar together in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in 2 cups whole milk until completely smooth.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until it begins to bubble and thicken. Continue whisking until it has the texture of thick pudding and a spoon dragged through the center leaves a clean trail that holds for a second, about 5 to 8 minutes total.
- Transfer immediately to a shallow bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Let the flour mixture cool completely to room temperature. It should no longer feel warm and should be approximately the same temperature as the butter. For faster cooling, refrigerate for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally so it cools evenly. Do not let the mixture become cold or firm.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 2 cups unsalted butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and the room temp flour mixture in several additions. Beat until fully incorporated, smooth, and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- If the frosting looks curdled, continue beating for another 1 to 2 minutes. If it remains curdled, let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before beating again. If it looks loose or greasy, refrigerate it for 10 to 15 minutes, then beat again.
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 one cake layer, cut side up, on top. Add ¾ 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.
- Store the covered cake at cool room temperature for up to 1 day or refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Let refrigerated cake sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before serving for the best texture.
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 the cake is frosted, gently pull them out, and you’re left with a clean stand!
- Secret to frosting success: Heritage frosting can be finicky. Make sure both the butter and the cooked flour-and-milk mixture are at room temperature before combining them. If the mixture is still warm, it can melt the butter and ruin the texture.
- For a photo-ready finish: Warm an offset spatula under hot water, dry it thoroughly, then gently run it over the frosting. Repeat as needed. The warm spatula will slightly soften the surface, creating a smoother finish.
- For cleaner, more even layers: Wrap the completely cooled cakes and refrigerate them for at least 1 hour before slicing.
- Skipping the four layers? If you don’t want to slice each cake layer in half, reduce the frosting for a two-layer cake to:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill time: 2 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Cake
MORE RECIPES CAN BE FOUND HERE.
