Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake

A Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake is a dessert that delivers comfort and bliss in every bite.  The magic ingredients in this recipe create the perfect color, texture, and the icing is light and not too sweet!

In my family, we all had the pleasure of experiencing my sister Mary Beth’s Red Velvet Cakes.  This particular recipe was a specialty of hers.  She created this marvel in all shapes and sizes which included cupcakes, sheet cakes, and layered cakes.  Every one of them iced to perfection and decorated to the hilt.

Mary Beth knew this recipe so well that while visiting my sister Patti, she baked the cake without a written recipe while my mom and my sister were at the store.  My sister Patti asked for the recipe, and Mary Beth took a piece of paper and wrote it out.  At the top was written Waldorf Astoria.  Not many directions, but a list of ingredients that will give you the perfect Red Velvet Cake!  I have to add that this story happened long before you could google anything or ask Alexa for help.

The consistent color throughout the cake is created by making a paste with cocoa (I’ve used both organic cacao and cocoa) and red food coloring.  The paste produces a uniform color, and as soon as you add it to the batter, it magically creates the smooth, velvety hue characteristic of a red velvet cake.

I begin with this step because it does take a large amount of food coloring.  In fact, The Waldorf Astoria Cake is known for being one of the earliest cakes made using large amounts of red food coloring.  I snapped a picture to help visualize the amount and to help when gathering the ingredients for this cake.  The recipe calls for 1 oz. of red food coloring which equals six teaspoons.  The bottles in the picture are each .03 oz., which is three teaspoons.  So, you’ll need two bottles.

The base of this cake is a Duncan Hines yellow cake mix.  The additional ingredients are changed and a magical cup of sour cream gives the cake the moisture and a texture that is classic to a red velvet cake.  You can also see in the picture above how wonderfully the cocoa and food coloring paste colors the batter.

Roux Frosting

I’m adding a picture of the Ermine frosting which could also be called roux frosting or boiled milk icing.  The frosting begins with cooking flour and milk on the stove until a thick almost gravy-like texture is accomplished.  This is not a cream cheese icing on the cake.  Cream cheese icing wasn’t common with red velvet cakes until the mid-twentieth century.  Before this time, the traditional topping was a creamy and light icing made by cooking milk and flour which is then whipped into a sugar and shortening mixture.  I’ve seen recipes that use butter, but Mary Beth used Crisco.

A new trend in icing cakes is the ‘rustic look’.  The rustic look refers to frosting in-between and on top or just a thin crumb coat.  A crumb coat is exactly as it sounds.  A thin layer of frosting is applied to secure the crumbs before the decorative coating is applied.  There’s a little refrigerator time between the steps, but the final layer goes on smoothly making the decorating a little easier.

You can have your cake and eat it too!

I hope you’ll consider trying this Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake.  This particular recipe is perfect for you if you haven’t made one before.  Using a cake mix for the base of it removes a few steps.  In fact, I’ve made this recipe by putting all the ingredients in the bowl except the coloring and mixed it.  It worked just fine.

Another cake recipe of Mary Beth’s is her Sour Cream Cake.

Do you like to make layer cakes?  What’s your favorite cake to make?  Please consider leaving a comment below.

Thanks for stopping by,    Rose

Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake

 

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Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

1 hour 35 mins

 

This Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake recipe begins with a Duncan Hines yellow cake mix and with the added sour cream you will have a perfectly moist cake, a coloring that is out of this world and you'll be patting yourself on the back. If you want to add some pizzazz, slice your layers for a taller breathtaking presentation. You can do this!

Author: Sock Box 10

Recipe type: Cake

Ingredients

• 1 Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
• 4 eggs
• 8 ounces sour cream
• ½ cup oil
• ½ water
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 heaping teaspoons of cocoa
• 1-ounce red food coloring
• Frosting
• 1½ cup milk
• ¼ cup four
• 1 cup Crisco
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• dash of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease 2 9" cake pans. You can also line the bottom with parchment paper depending on the shape and age of your pans. Sometimes they need a little help (if using 8" pans see note #1 below).
3. In a small bowl and I suggest using metal utensils, mix the cocoa and food coloring. Mix until the cocoa is dissolved and a paste is formed.
4. In a large bowl beat oil and sugar until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add sour cream and mix. Gradually add the cake mix and water. Mix until blended.
5. Add the cocoa and food coloring paste and continue mixing until coloring has been blended in thoroughly.
6. Divide batter among pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or cake tester comes out clean.
7. Cool in pans 20 minutes, remove from pans, flip layers over and remove parchment paper and place on racks.
8. Cool completely and then level layers with a cake leveler or sharp bread knife (if slicing the layers, see note #2). Fill and crumb coat (see note #3 below) with the ermine icing and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more. Then ice and decorate as desired with the remaining Fro
9. If you are slicing the layers, please see instructions in the notes below.
10. Ermine Frosting
11. Place milk and flour in a small heavy saucepan and cook on medium heat stirring continuously.
12. Cook 2-3 minutes until the mixture has a thick gravy consistency (pictured in the post).
13. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. It must be completely cooled before adding to the next step. Stir in vanilla.
14. Cream Crisco and sugar together until light and fluffy. You don't want a lot of sugar graininess.
15. Add the completely cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and dash of salt.
16. Beat until it's all combined and resembles a whipped cream. At least 5 minutes.
17. Note #1
18. Cake pan size. If you are using 8" rounds you will need to bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
19. Note #2
20. Slicing cake layers. Place cake layers in the refrigerator and cool. This makes slicing easier. Score the outside edge halfway up using a paring knife. With a long serrated knife slowly slice through the layer. This is a great technique and it works!!!
21. Note #3
22. A crumb coating does just that - it covers the crumbs making it easier to apply the final and decorative coat. Ice between the layers and then apply a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake.
23. Refrigerate before applying the decorative layer.
24. ENJOY!!!

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