ORIGINAL WALDORF ASTORIA RED VELVET CAKE RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Cream shortening, sugar and eggs.
• Make a paste of food coloring and cocoa.
• Add to creamed mixture.
• Add buttermilk alternating with flour and salt.
• Add vanilla.
• Add soda to vinegar, and blend into the batter.
• Pour into 3 or 4 greased and floured 8" cake pans.
• Bake at 350°F for 24-30 minutes.
• Split layers fill and frost with the following frosting.
• Frosting: Add milk to flour slowly, avoiding lumps.
• Cook flour and milk until very thick, stirring constantly.
• Cool completely.
• Cream sugar, butter and vanilla until fluffy.
• Add to cooked mixture.
• Beat, high speed, until very fluffy.
• Looks and tastes like whipped cream.

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
• Butter three 9" round cake pans and line them with parchment paper or waxed paper.
• Melt Chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water or in the top of a double boiler (or melt in microwave for 20 – 25 seconds).
• Meanwhile. place the sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed for two minutes.
• In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and continue to mix on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula so everything is well incorporated.
• Add the melted chocolate to this mixture and continue to mix on low speed. Add the pureed beets and food coloring.
• Continue to mix on low speed until everything is thoroughly combined.
• Evenly divide the batter between the three prepared pans and tap down to remove air bubbles.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until center of cake springs back when touched, or when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove the pans from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool for ten minutes in the pans, then turn the layers out onto the rack and let cool completely.
• Icing: Pour cream into a small bowl and whip to soft peaks. Set aside in the refrigerator.
• Place the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until it is soft and smooth.
• Add the mascarpone and continue to mix on low speed until the cheeses are well combined.
• Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until everything is just combined.
• Turn off the mixer and fold in the whipped cream by hand with a spatula.
• Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.
• Chef’s note: Sliced canned beets are easier to work with in this recipe than whole beets.
• Original Poster’s note – This cake works well as a wedding cake but use a cream cheese/buttercream as the icing noted here will not harden.