Food History: Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake has enchanted people with its vibrant hue and smooth texture, but how did such a niche dessert rise to popularity? What makes red velvet cake red? Or… velvet for that matter?
Join host Justin Dodd as he takes you through the fascinating and complicated history of this delicious dessert, from its association with special occasions, to its role in popular culture.
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[@CarlyMonster]

Red velvet cake, just like carrot cake, are the perfect vehicle to consume cream cheese frosting!

[@micahphilson]

I think cinnamon rolls are the perfect pairing for that! It's the absolute perfect topping for them, once you've had them with cream cheese frosting, it's hard to have them without!

[@FaeAstray]

This is why my husband chose red velvet cake for our wedding cake lol. The cream cheese frosting was his main goal 😂

[@priscillad8]

Try Brazilian carrot cake 😉

[@turbosdolphin]

Dolly Parton is a National Treasure!

[@marklee81]

Adding the vinegar is probably why it was called "Devils food," as deviling, like deviled eggs is when you add vinegar to food.

[@TheElnots]

I've heard the same tale of the "recipe costs an exorbitant amount but patron didn't realize it and passes recipe around because they're upset." but it was Nieman Marcus and cookies.

[@FaeAstray]

I've also heard it about the Olive Garden bread sticks, and the Ikea meatballs 😂

[@elainebelzDetroit]

I remember that! I had forgotten which store's restaurant it was, though.

[@nicholasweaver2374]

I heard it that way too.

[@angelp9535]

I heard NM too, but she was told the price was “two fifty” and she assumed $2.50, but charged $250.00. Mediocre recipe was “faxed around” was ok, but not worth requesting in the first place

[@megb2188]

In high school my friend and I made a batch of cupcakes from scratch atleast once a month. At one point we were making red velvet cupcakes, but we realized we didn't have any food dye. My friend said that she had heard of blue velvet cake before, so we used blue food dye. They turned out concrete gray.

[@DianeSLoftis]

I just binged watched the first season of Crime Scene Kitchen b/c the second season is releasing soon. Anyway, red velvet (and blue) velvet cake was featured durning one of the episodes. I was surprised at some of the reactions to blue velvet, though. Many haven’t heard of it. And I guess it’s used for more patriotic themed celebrations. Excellent video!

[@thejourney1369]

Red Velvet has been my favorite since childhood. My Mom was making them over 50 years ago.

[@RobBulmahn]

Red velvet Oreos are my favorite variety of Oreo, but sadly I have not seen them sold for a couple years now.

[@roxcyn]

I haven't seen them recently either. Just searched on Walmart's website and they don't come up. *However* Chips Ahoy Red Velvet cookies did pop up. Those sound so good, BUT I've never tried that variety.

[@beprominent7860]

Received a subscriber. Exactly what I was looking for! Thank you for your efforts!

[@joewilson3393]

I once made a red velvet cake using beet juice as a natural red dye. Making the beet juice with my own beets caused my kitchen to look like a murder scene. It was fun though, and tasted very good.

[@kbetc.]

😂😂😂@murder scene

[@jphilb]

First part sounds exactly like the Neiman Marcus cookie story.

[@Freddles279]

I was going to say the same thing.

[@MysteicVoltronus]

My favorite cake and I didn't know its history was so complex.

[@itsmewende]

Just seen your video in a search for the cake. I'm 65 and my Aunt maked me one for my birthday, I'm guessing every yr from my 5th to 15th birthday. Her recipe calls for, making a paste with the color and cocoa, baking soda and vinegar combination is to be added by hand at the end of mixing the ingreds. The icing is made with a rue, adding butter, crisco, sugar, and vanilla, after the rue has cooled. Her recipe says is white icing, but it's also been called boiled icing.

[@jackwood8307]

So the cake is ok, but its the icing that makes it!❤

[@ginabator7678]

I've heard the expensive restaurant recipe story about Neiman Marcus cookies too

[@illiteratemochi4150]

Interesting the different opinions in the comments. I didn’t realize people didn’t like cream cheese, that seems crazy to me lol Cream cheese is one of my favorite things and I love how moist and smooth the cake itself is. I’m not a huge fan of dry foods 😅

[@GregHuffman1987]

same. creme cheese is rad.

[@ThatSoddingGamer]

Since it is traditionally made with cocoa, I wonder if anyone has tried making a ruby chocolate/cocoa red velvet cake variant? Would be naturally pinkish. Could dub it 'Pink Velvet' or something?

[@OrphanIsMe]

I've seen pink velvet before, though I would have no clue if it's made the way you're talking about

[@ellenm9715]

Would actually love to try that

[@michellecooke5011]

I think the icing choices should have been addressed. Other than that, I enjoyed this video. I’m 55 yrs. old and I remember my grandma making this cake as far back as I can remember. However, she always made it with old fashion cooked white vanilla icing. Which I think is the original icing the recipe called for. Red Velvet cake is not my favorite cake. And, I do prefer the white icing. But it might be that it reminds me of the best grandma anyone could have ever had. ❤

[@inannanightingale9718]

Red velvet cake was the perfect thing for when I made Elmo cup cakes for my daughter's 3rd birthday!

[@CheapSquierBassPlayer]

Red velevet cake is just kind of generically sweet. It doesn't stand out like pineapple upside down or tres leches.

[@theunspoke815]

Red Velvet is the ONLY cake I'll eat cuz it's not dry!! Well, that and a lemon cake that I get occasionally from Marc's. Funny thing is I'm not that big on lemon. Only if it's sweet I guess!! 😜😜🤗🤗

[@roxcyn]

The chocolate cake that Amazon Fresh sells is not bad. And like you, I normally dislike chocolate cake because it's not flavorful and it's dry.

[@destinyhart7532]

Love you already! Steel Magnolias and Dolly? Add cake, and well, it just don't get no better.

[@joelb8653]

Red Velvet Baileys is a gift from the gods, when you can find it.

[@classyfied]

Red velvet & cream cheese are a perfect food marriage!

[@KiltieKaren]

Now grandmas recipe for Waldorf Astoria cake now makes sense.

[@gunsfree]

Red velvet cake has the most interesting of flavors. Is it a color or a fabric?

[@jocasja]

I’m eating cake as I watch this

[@Freddles279]

Nice Mel Torme' call back!

[@makeupdiaries6438]

I hate this cake but I love Dolly Parton. I don't know how I feel about red velvet now that you've mentioned that quote...

[@canis2020]

Your voice sounds almost blown. Were you at a concert or something and not sharing with the class?

[@Pandaangel187]

Completely unrelated to the topic of the video but when i focus on your face your hands lose color and i think it has to do with the color contrasts in your video. So random but it was trippy🤣🤣

[@jamiegould7951]

That first story sounds more like the chocolate chip cookie recipe story...?

[@KassMcCormack]

No joke, I have a red velvet toothpaste (thanks, Hi Smile) and it is the best thing I own. You can actually taste the cream cheese frosting!

[@noway8259]

What? Who sells that? Please tell me more!

[@matthewdrummond1340]

4:02 Atleast it rhymes. Sexist af but not every horribly degrading sexist tag line rhymes. Still though WTF?

[@mitziknight6966]

This sounds like the Nieman Marcus cookie

[@DaltonSullivant]

And when you throw it up it turns pink

[@Charonicus]

King of cakes tbh.

[@enough345]

Chocolate Beetroot cake. Who needs dye??. Save the cherries for Black Forest Gateau..

[@jannetteberends8730]

Red velvet cake taste like disappointment. The only good thing about it, is the name.

[@nariu7times328]

dyeing a yellow cake mix makes it orange...er salmon colored. ;)

[@DaveSomething]

1:49 I'm gonna need about tree-fiddy!

[@rrrosecarbinela]

All hail Saint Dolly.

[@ReverseHigh5er]

You want that recipe? I'ma need about 350

[@killercaos123]

Soo, Red Velvet cake isn’t associated with Coca Cola? Cause that’s what I’m used to

[@tsteeleosuou]

I thought the story was chocolate chip cookies (usually double tree)

[@tsteeleosuou]

oops neiman marcus. that sounds right.

[@JuicyCrone]

Such an appropriate tradition for Juneteenth!

[@DragonKazooie89]

I don’t eat red velvet cake because I hate cream cheese

[@flickaJay]

Please tell the true history of red velvet cake. Not the 'history' that has the same story as the $200 chocolate chip cookie recipe.

[@dustymax56]

Juneteenth? Huh? Resilience? Blood? I thought we just like the taste of the cake, I’ve never heard it attributed to our culture, southern culture yes, but not black. Hot sauce and hot links and red velvet are Year round staples… I’m not a Juneteenth specialist, that’s more of a Texas celebration, so maybe this is true

[@GregHuffman1987]

cakeeee

[@azure401]

Why is this power bottom so upset over the most mild joke on the planet?

[@neoroxx]

it is my most hated cake

[@firstcynic92]

No thanks. I'm not into eating bugs.

[@crabe804]

Always end up the video before commenting. 12:55

[@firstcynic92]

​@@crabe804 Do "They" have a total worldwide monopoly on red food dye? Maybe you should look up what's in natural red dye 4.

[@crabe804]

​@@firstcynic92 I am perhaps wrong, but I think that most people know what is Carmine. (except the scenarist of Snowpiercer, perhaps, who share your point obviously) May I advertise vegan products? Tasty and bug free (except traces like in any other food)

[@ronnielovelace862]

I just wanted to know cause I think it's ugly looking.

[@mwmnmwm]

His voice has completely changed or is it just me? Sounds like he's about to sell some kind of testosterone supplement now.

[@mcfarlandclan]

Almost looks dubbed. Hard to watch. Doesn't seem to sync up with the video.

[@The_Other_Ghost]

Justin, judging by color can be fallacious thinking.

[@whitbyretreat145]

Gay! and I am not talking about the cake