Sabrina Moyle of Hello!Lucky shared this recipe for red velvet cake with Design Sponge the other week. I fell in love with the story of the recipe and the photos that Sabrina took of her process. Plus I love red velvet cake! This recipe is said to have been requested of the chef at the Waldorf Astoria by a wealthy Oklahoma couple. It is said to have been mailed to them with a bill for $400.

Waldorf Astoria $400 Red Velvet Cake

½ cup shortening
1 ½ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 oz red food coloring
2 Tbs cocoa
2 ¼ cup cake flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vinegar

Blend shortening and sugar. Add eggs, unbeaten. Whip until smooth. Make a paste of the food coloring and cocoa. Add to the shortening mixture. Sift the flour, salt and backing soda. Combine the buttermilk and the vanilla. Add these to the batter, alternating the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture. Fold in vinegar. Bake in 2 1” deep, 9” wide greased and floured layer cake pans 35 – 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool.

Icing for Red Velvet Cake

4 scant Tbs flour
1 cup milk
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Cook the flour and milk over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly. Cool. Cream the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip in the milk and flour mixture. The frosting should be thick and fluffy, similar in consistency to whipped cream. Spread over the layers, top, and sides of the cake.

Tags: Food

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