We could eat red velvet cake any day of the year, if we’re honest.
But eating red velvet cake on Valentine’s Day? Somethin’ about that pairing just seems perfect.
So when Vera Stewart of “The VeryVera Show” and the cookbook “The VeryVera Cookbook” (coming in April!) offered to make us her famous red velvet cake, well, we jumped at the opportunity.
Read more from the Augusta, Georgia resident and get her recipe below.
Tell us about this red velvet cake recipe.
Red velvet cakes all based on the same idea, but can still vary widely–some use more cocoa and some less, some use cider vinegar and others white vinegar. The VeryVera Red Velvet Cake is dense, moist, chocolatey, and perfectly red!
In the South, red velvet cake is celebrated primarily during Christmas, which is why this cake was our December Cake of the Month. That was until we realized how many people wanted to order it for Valentine’s Day, too.
Eventually, our Red Velvet Cake became so popular that it was placed on our menu full-time… Today, I’m thrilled to share this much-requested recipe for this beloved cake in “The VeryVera Cookbook—recipes from my table,” which you can pre-order now!
Do you have any Valentine’s Day traditions?
My two sons always get a card from me on Valentine’s Day. And I always made the Southern classic candy—the one with chow mein noodles, butterscotch, and chocolate. We called them “spiders.”
I guess only two rambunctious boys would find a spider appetizing– but we enjoyed them every year!
How do you define “love?”
I’m a big believer in the “love languages.” I show love through acts of service, and I feel most loved through words of affirmation. My husband, Andy, typically knows just what to say–whether to make me feel loved, comfort me, or push my buttons. I think that’s definitely a sign of true love.
What drew you to the Stripe Heart Tee?
This tee spoke directly to my personal style! I love a boatneck, I love stripes, I love 3/4″ sleeves, and I love unique detailing.
I appreciate that Draper James has quality clothing that matches my vibrant and energetic lifestyle as a wife, mother, grandmother, and small business owner. The versatility of this tee is great, too. It is polished enough for me to wear it on-air during my show, shopping for a catering job, or while playing with my grandchildren.
VeryVera’s Red Velvet Layer Cake Recipe
Note from Vera:
Christmas in the South wouldn’t be the same without red velvet cake. You could describe it as a slight vanilla flavor combined with a hint of chocolate. I’ll never forget the lady calling VeryVera from San Francisco and asking for me. All she wanted to say was, “How in the world is this transplanted Southerner sitting on her porch in San Francisco eating a Red Velvet Cake that looks like it just left your bakery?” It’s magic!
Serves: 20 to 24 (3/4” or 1” slices)
Prep Time: 30 to 45 minutes
Bake Time: 28 to 30 minutes
Ingredients for the cake
Floured baking spray
1 ½ cups Wesson® vegetable oil
3 cups granulated sugar
1 ½ ounces red food coloring
5 large eggs, at room temperature
4 ½ cups cake flour
4 ½ tablespoons Hershey’s® cocoa powder, sifted
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk, at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons white distilled vinegar
1 recipe Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients for the icing
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar
Instructions for the cake
Preheat the oven to 325°; grease and flour three 9-inch pans with parchment circles.
Beat the oil, sugar, and red food coloring in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir with a wire whisk to mix.
Combine the buttermilk, vanilla, and vinegar in a large liquid measuring cup.
Alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, beating until well-blended.
Scrape the sides of the bowl and incorporate any unmixed batter if necessary.
Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans. Tap the pans on the counter to ensure there are no air bubbles.
Bake for 28 to 30 minutes. Test doneness by simply touching a cake top. If it springs back, it is done. If the indentation stays, it needs 2 to 3 minutes longer.
Cool the cakes for at least 10 minutes on a cooling rack before removing from the pans.
Prepare the cream cheese icing and ice the cooled layers.
Instructions for the icing
Cream the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer for 3 minutes. At the end of the 3 minutes, scrape the bowl extremely well.
Add the vanilla extract and beat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, beating on low to ensure the sugar does not fly out of the mixing bowl.
After each addition of confectioners’ sugar, scrape the bowl extremely well.
Once all the confectioners’ sugar is incorporated, beat on low speed for 3 minutes.
Spread icing between the cake layers and then on the top and sides of the stacked layers.
Photography by Brent Cline
