Red Velvet Cake: Rebirth of a Baking Phenomenon

It has often been said that everything old is new again, and that certainly rings true for red velvet in the world of baking. Recently in my supermarket bakery I found red velvet donut holes and red velvet frosted cookies. These take red velvet one step beyond the original layer cake.

Red velvet baking has resurfaced several times in recent history. For example, when foods were rationed during World War II bakers used cooked red beets to naturally enhance the color of chocolate cakes.

The original red velvet cake recipe is tied to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. But it is also thought to be a Southern recipe. Traditionally, a red velvet cake is frosted with a French-style butter roux frosting, which is light and fluffy but time-consuming to make. Today, buttercream or cream cheese frosting is often substituted.

You can bake Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes as mini or regular-size cupcakes, or even as a two-layer cake. No matter what you choose, you’ll love this delicious trend!

Gather your ingredients. You don’t need much.

Heat the oven to 350⁰F. Place paper or foil cups into 48 mini or 24 regular-size muffin cups.

Next, combine one box of German chocolate cake mix in large bowl with melted butter, eggs, and red liquid food coloring. (Use the amounts listed on the cake mix box.)

Beat until well mixed. I think you could use almost any of the other chocolate cake mixes on the market. You will want to select one of the lighter chocolate cake mixes rather than a devil’s food or dark chocolate.

Fill the cups approximately 2/3 full. Bake for 12-16 minutes if you are baking mini cupcakes.

Insert a toothpick into the center of one cupcake to test for doneness. If no crumbs stick to the toothpick, the cupcake is done.

Cool the cupcakes 10 minutes in the pan. Carefully remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin and place on a cooling rack. Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, gather your frosting ingredients. Place 2/3 cup of softened butter into a medium bowl.

Beat the butter at medium speed until it is soft and creamy.

Continue beating, gradually adding powdered sugar…

vanilla, salt…

and enough half & half until it reaches the desired consistency for spreading.

Mix until creamy.

Pipe or spread frosting on the cooled cupcakes.

Sprinkle with decorator sprinkles if desired.

Tiny, bite-sized cupcakes like these will win anyone’s heart.

Try these Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes for yourself, and make sure to come back to rate and review the recipe.

Cindy Manwarren is a manager of the Test Kitchens for Land O’Lakes and writes for our Recipe Buzz® Blog.