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No matter what, dessert lovers can never easily say “No” to red velvet cake. The bright red, flavourful and tempting cake has won hearts since its origin. From red velvet cupcakes to red velvet ice cream jars, confectioners have come up with a variety of red velvet dishes recently owing to the growing popularity of the dessert. The eye-appealing colour combination of the red sponge with the buttercream frosting along with the aroma and flavour of the cake makes it one of a kind. Although the cake is loved by many, very few know about the origin of the confection. Are you also one of them? Read on to know about the history of the very famous red velvet cake.
It is believed that earlier cakes were just like regular bread with a rough and coarse texture. The cooks and confectioners used to add dry fruits to the cake batter which attributed to the texture. It wasn’t until the 1800s that American cooks attempted to perfect their cake recipes and give them a softer texture. They used a lot of ingredients- from cornstarch to cocoa and almond flour to give the cakes a finer and softer texture. One of these attempts resulted in a successful effort to break down the protein in the flour and the cakes were then called dubbed velvet cake. The colour of the cake is believed to be the result of a chemical reaction between cocoa and acid.
While some people believe the above reasoning behind the colour of the cake, many others believe in another story. Legend has it that red velvet cake owes the origin of its colour to the soldiers of World War II. The practice of rationing of food and supplies was common during the war and sugar and butter were part of the rations. As a result, some bakers decided to add beet juice to their cakes. Not only did the beet juice give the cake a bright red colour but also prevented it from becoming dry. The sales increased due to the tempting visual appeal of the cake which gradually made the cake transcend borders and become popular.
Although the history of red velvet cake is quite tangled, we can never be grateful enough to the original creator of the cake. Do try the embedded recipes and let us know how you like them.
