Cooking Lesson #731: Valentine's Day Red Velvet Cake Roll

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? Get ready to wow your Valentine’s taste buds with this delicious Red Velvet Cake Roll!
 
In the 19th century, "velvet" cake, a soft and velvety crumb cake, was introduced and served as a fancy dessert. Up to that point a coarser-crumbly cake was a much more common dessert.
 
Around the turn of the 20th century, Devil's Food Cake was introduced, which some believe is how the Red Velvet Cake came about. The key difference between the two cakes is that Devil's Food Cake uses real chocolate and Red Velvet Cake uses less expensive cocoa.
 
Adams Extract Co. is credited with bringing the Red Velvet Cake to kitchens across America during the Great Depression, by being one of the first to sell red food coloring and other flavor extracts. They advertised by using point-of-sale posters and tear-off recipe cards. When food ingredients were rationed in the US during World War II, bakers used boiled red beet juices to enhance the color of their cakes. Even today, I often use minced red beets in my chocolate cakes for the red hue and to retain moisture.
 
The cake was originally made famous at New York City's famous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, known as the Waldorf-Astoria Cake, however, it is widely considered a Southern recipe. Red Velvet Cake may also have roots in black culture and is sometimes considered to be a soul food in the South. The cake is often used in Juneteenth celebrations to honor the fight against slavery.
 
Traditionally, Red Velvet Cake is iced with a French-style butter ermine icing which is very light and fluffy, but time-consuming to prepare. Cream cheese or buttercream frostings are variations that have increased in popularity and complement the cake.
 
Similar to Hershey’s Red Velvet Cake, this cake roll recipe also calls for cocoa powder to produce a moist, chocolaty flavored cake tightly rolled into a Swiss log with rich cream cheese filling. Follow my easy step-by-step instructions below on how to make a perfect Red Velvet Cake roll from scratch to impress your friends, family, or maybe even that very special person.

Prep time:  30 minutes
Bake time:  12 minutes
Cool time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Chill time:  1 hour
Yield:  1 cake (10 to 12 servings
 
Ingredients 
1/4 cup powdered sugar
4 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1/3 cup, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons red food color (1-ounce bottle)
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoon powdered sugar (for dusting)
1/2 cup chocolate syrup (optional)
raspberries or strawberries for garnish (optional)
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 375°F.
2. Line 15-1/2 X 10-1/2 X 1-inch jellyroll pan with foil; generously grease foil.
3. Sprinkle a linen or thin cotton towel with 1/4 cup powdered sugar.
4. Beat the egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form
5. Gradually add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
6. In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and vanilla extract on medium speed of mixer for 3 minutes.
7. Gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar; continue beating for 2 additional minutes.
8. Place the red food color in liquid measuring cup; add water to make 1/3 cup.
9. Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
10. Add the dry mix to egg yolk mixture alternately with colored water, beating on low speed just until batter is smooth.
11. Gradually fold in the chocolate mixture into beaten egg whites until well blended.
12.  Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
13. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center.
14. Immediately loosen cake from edges of pan and invert the cake onto the prepared towel.
15. Carefully peel off the foil.
16. Immediately roll the cake and towel together starting from narrow end placing the rolled cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
17. Prepare Cream Cheese Filling (see ChefSecret recipe below).
18. Carefully unroll the cake.
19. Spread the filling over cake.
20. Reroll the cake without towel.
21. Wrap filled cake with wax paper and wrap again with plastic wrap.
22. Refrigerate the cake seam down at least 1 hour or until ready to serve.
23. Just before serving, sprinkle top with additional powdered sugar.
24. Slice and serve with a drizzle of chocolate syrup, if desired.
25. Cover; refrigerate any leftover cake roll… if there is any.

ChefSecret:  To make the Cream Cheese Filling, beat the following ingredients together:

• 1 package (8 oz) softened cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth.

 
Quip of the Day:  My relationship status? In a committed relationship with red velvet cake!
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

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