Whats the difference between Devil's Food cake and Red Velvet cake?

Question

Because sometimes they add red food coloring to Devil's food cake. They do look similar but whats the difference?

Answer 1

History

James Beard's 1972 reference, American Cookery1 describes three kinds of red velvet cake varying in the amounts of shortening and butter used. All of them use red food coloring for the color, but it is mentioned that the reaction of acidic vinegar and buttermilk tends to turn the cocoa a reddish brown color. Furthermore, before more alkaline "Dutch Processed" cocoa was widely available, the red color would have been more pronounced. This natural tinting may have been the source for the name "Red Velvet" as well as "Devil's Food" and a long list of similar names for chocolate cakes

A Red velvet cake is a type of rich and sweet chocolate cake (though it is often made without chocolate flavoring) which has a distinctive dark red or red-brown color. Common ingredients include buttermilk, butter, flour, cocoa powder, and often either beets, or red food coloring. It is most popular in the American South, though known in other regions. The most typical frosting for a red velvet cake is cream cheese icing.

Answer 2

Red Devils Food Cake

Answer 3

Devil's Food cake : is a rich, chocolate layer cake. While it is often considered a counterpart to angel cake, the two cake types are very different: aside from being chocolate-flavored, devil's-food cake incorporates butter (or a substitute) and far less egg. In fact, devil's-food cake is more closely related to red velvet cake, both in terms of history and preparation. The recipe for this cake was first printed in 1905.


A Red velvet cake is a type of rich and sweet chocolate cake which has a distinctive dark red or red-brown color. Common ingredients include buttermilk, butter, flour, cocoa powder, and often either beets or red food coloring. It is most popular in the American South, though known in other regions. The most typical frosting for a red velvet cake is cream cheese icing

Answer 4

Red velvet has like 1/3 cup (depending on recipe) of red food colouring in it. Gross! Devil's food is chocolate cake.

Answer 5

Red Velvet Cake has red food coloring and usually some form of cream cheese frosting.

Answer 6

Besides the color....Red Velvet Cake obviously incorporates more red food coloring....most of the Red Velvet Cake recipes I have seen also have a splash of vinegar in the recipe, giving them a slightly tangier flavor than the sweeter Devil's Food Cake. Regardless, they are both FAVES of mine!!

RED VELVET CAKE

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 1/2 oz red food coloring
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
1 tablespoons vinegar

PREPARATION:
Cream shortening; beat in sugar gradually. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well after each addition. Make paste of cocoa and food coloring; add to creamed mixture. Add salt, flour and vanilla alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Sprinkle soda over vinegar; pour vinegar over batter.
Stir until thoroughly mixed. Bake in 3 8-inch pans or 2 9-inch pans for 30 minutes at 350°.

Answer 7

cream cheese icing. on the red velvet cake biggest difference.

Answer 8

not only is it food coloring.. it's the type of cake...red velvet is more of a german chocolate flavor...a touch of sour cream...devil's food is a much richer darker chocolate flavor

Answer 9

mmmm I LOVE Swiss Colony's Red Velvet Petit Fours!!!! Give me those over devils food cake any day!!!

Answer 10

devils food is chocolate and red velvet isn't