Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake 1920s Food

WALDORF-ASTORIA RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Cream shortening, sugar and eggs.
• Make a paste of food coloring and cocoa.
• Add to creamed mixture.
• Add buttermilk alternating with flour and salt.
• Add vanilla.
• Add soda to vinegar, and blend into the batter.
• Pour into 3 or 4 greased and floured 8" cake pans.
• Bake at 350°F for 24-30 minutes.
• Split layers fill and frost with the following frosting.
• Frosting: Add milk to flour slowly, avoiding lumps.
• Cook flour and milk until very thick, stirring constantly.
• Cool completely.
• Cream sugar, butter and vanilla until fluffy.
• Add to cooked mixture.
• Beat, high speed, until very fluffy.
• Looks and tastes like whipped cream.

WALDORF-ASTORIA RED VELVET CAKE (1920S RECIPE)

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
• Butter three 9" round cake pans and line them with parchment paper or waxed paper.
• Melt Chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water or in the top of a double boiler (or melt in microwave for 20 - 25 seconds).
• Meanwhile. place the sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed for two minutes.
• In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and continue to mix on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula so everything is well incorporated.
• Add the melted chocolate to this mixture and continue to mix on low speed. Add the pureed beets and food coloring.
• Continue to mix on low speed until everything is thoroughly combined.
• Evenly divide the batter between the three prepared pans and tap down to remove air bubbles.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until center of cake springs back when touched, or when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove the pans from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool for ten minutes in the pans, then turn the layers out onto the rack and let cool completely.
• Icing: Pour cream into a small bowl and whip to soft peaks. Set aside in the refrigerator.
• Place the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until it is soft and smooth.
• Add the mascarpone and continue to mix on low speed until the cheeses are well combined.
• Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until everything is just combined.
• Turn off the mixer and fold in the whipped cream by hand with a spatula.
• Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.
• Chef's note: Sliced canned beets are easier to work with in this recipe than whole beets.
• Original Poster's note - This cake works well as a wedding cake but use a cream cheese/buttercream as the icing noted here will not harden.

WALDORF ASTORIA RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350° F
• Beat the shortening (or butter), sugar, and eggs with the mixer until they are light and fluffy (2 to 3 minutes).
• In a separate bowl, mix enough of the red food coloring with the cocoa powder to form a red-colored paste.
• Add the food color/cocoa mixture to the shortening mixture and mix until combined.
• In another bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
• Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the shortening mixture and beat just until combined.
• Then mix in ½ of the buttermilk.
• Add the next ⅓ of the flour, followed by the other ½ of the buttermilk and then the last ⅓ of the flour, beating until combined between each addition.
• Add vanilla, vinegar and baking soda to the shortening mixture in that order, mixing in between each addition.
• Pour into 2 or 3 8-inch cake pans or 24 muffin tins.
• Bake for 30 minutes for a cake, or 25 minutes for cupcakes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let cool completely before icing.
• In a saucepan, stir together flour and milk making sure to get rid of any lumps.
• Over medium heat, cook the flour and milk until very thick, stirring constantly.
• Let cool completely.
• In the meantime, beat the butter, vanilla and the confectioners' sugar together with the mixer until fluffy (2 to 3 minutes).
• Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture together and beat until it is very fluffy. It should have a whipped cream texture when it is done.
• Spread frosting between the layers and over the top and sides of the cake. Or spread over the top of cupcakes with a knife.