Who Knew?
Growing up in Canada in the 60s and 70s, I was familiar with the popular beet-colored cake served in the restaurants and bakeries of Eaton's department store chain. Promoted as an exclusive Eaton's recipe, all employees who knew the recipe were sworn to secrecy. Evidently, most of them believed the cake had been invented by the department store's legendary matriarch, Lady Eaton.
When I moved to the United States, I learned that an identical pastry known as "red velvet cake" had been the signature dessert at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City during the 1920s. According to urban legend, a woman was billed for a large sum of money when she requested the recipe. Incensed, she spread the recipe in a chain letter. Perhaps Lady Eaton was on that woman's mailing list!
A modern resurgence in the popularity of this cake is partly attributed to the 1989 film "Steel Magnolias" in which the groom's cake—a southern tradition—is a red velvet cake made in the shape of an armadillo. More recently, the smaller cupcake version of this classic dessert can be found in specialty bakeries and cafes. In fact, I enjoyed a cream cheese frosted red velvet cupcake in a Starbucks coffee shop not too long ago.
When I moved to the United States, I learned that an identical pastry known as "red velvet cake" had been the signature dessert at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City during the 1920s. According to urban legend, a woman was billed for a large sum of money when she requested the recipe. Incensed, she spread the recipe in a chain letter. Perhaps Lady Eaton was on that woman's mailing list!
A modern resurgence in the popularity of this cake is partly attributed to the 1989 film "Steel Magnolias" in which the groom's cake—a southern tradition—is a red velvet cake made in the shape of an armadillo. More recently, the smaller cupcake version of this classic dessert can be found in specialty bakeries and cafes. In fact, I enjoyed a cream cheese frosted red velvet cupcake in a Starbucks coffee shop not too long ago.
Lazy Baker Ingredients & Method
If you would like to bake a red velvet cake from scratch, you'll find a recipe in this earlier post. However since I'm a "lazy baker," I often look for the short-cut method to create exactly the same Wow! factor. I discovered the Barefoot Contessa's red velvet boxed cake mix for sale at both Sur La Table and Metropolitan Market... for a tidy sum of $10.00 per box.
If you would like to bake a red velvet cake from scratch, you'll find a recipe in this earlier post. However since I'm a "lazy baker," I often look for the short-cut method to create exactly the same Wow! factor. I discovered the Barefoot Contessa's red velvet boxed cake mix for sale at both Sur La Table and Metropolitan Market... for a tidy sum of $10.00 per box. Our local Safeway store carries a similar mix by Duncan Hines for less than half the price, so I settled on that. My family was thrilled when I served a batch of red velvet cupcakes topped with packaged cream cheese frosting and red sprinkles.
And nobody noticed my omission of Lady Eaton's audacious secret recipe!
Note: Feel free to reprint any part of this article on your own site. If you do, kindly include the following byline: Post by e-Mom at Susannah's {Kitchen}, a new retro-chic vintage apron i-store.
Find More Recipes
• Gayle's Friday Recipe Swap at The Grocery Cart Challenge
• Nicole's Friday Food carnival at Momtrends
• Jerry's Friday Party at Simply Sweet Home
• Rachel's Mouth Watering Mondays at A Southern Fairy Tale
• Jennifer's Tasty Tuesday carnival at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Source: Wikipedia. Photos: KevinH (Flickr) StumbleUpon & Sur La Table
3 COMMENTS:
These cupcakes look divine! I haven't had red velvet in a very long time!
Yum! My 9 y/o was just asking for red velvet cake this week...must be the season! ;-)
it's my favorite cake! ;) AND my hubby and i had it as our cake flavoring. i personally think it's in the ICING :)
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